Nephthys opened her eyes, the ethereal, glowing door before her vanishing. She glanced over, finding a terrified Tara, eyes wide, looking between Nephthys and Aka. Nephthys suppressed a chuckle as Tara twitched with every one of Aka’s breaths, which grumbled like distant thunder.
“Good morning,” Nephthys greeted. “I see you have met Aka.”
Tara’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. She seemed afraid to speak, lest she wake the ‘great beast’.
“Aka is a summon of mine. I have bade her defend you, so you can be assured that she means no harm,” Nephthys explained with a casual gesture, rising from the bed, on which she had sat cross-legged all night.
One benefit of a mana body was that she felt neither sore nor stiff, despite scarcely moving for around nine hours. Of course, whether the fact that she felt no need for sleep itself was good or bad…well, that was to be determined.
“Aka,” Tara repeated, as if reassuring herself that she was not in danger.
She yipped as Aka suddenly licked her face, likely responding to her name.
“Ow,” Tara said, rubbing her cheek.
“Large cats’ tongues are meant for stripping flesh from bones, among other things. I would avoid a second lick, were I you,” Nephthys said, walking to the door with a small chuckle. “You are ready to go, yes?”
“Go? Go where? I just woke up!” Tara shouted, springing out of bed, her fear of Aka forgotten, and running her hands through her hair.
“We are stopping by the guild, first and foremost,” Nephthys called over her shoulder, exiting their humble lodgings.
“Why?” Tara asked, rushing to keep up.
Aka trailed behind, somehow closing the door with her tail.
“I would like to acquire an identification, primarily, though the guild also seems a decent contact to have. If it deals in all manner of work, it should be a source for all manner of information,” she explained.
“You’re going to be an adventurer?” Tara wondered, and Nephthys thought she detected a hint of…something in her voice.
“You admire adventurers?” she questioned, slowing her pace down the stairs.
“I wouldn’t…didn’t say that,” Tara muttered, embarrassed for some reason.
“I believe possessing an adventurer identification by definition requires one to be an adventurer, so yes. I aim to become one, though I have no plans to do any adventuring,” Nephthys replied, breezing past Tara’s strangeness around the subject.
The two grew quiet as they worked their way through the inn’s common area, or maybe this was the tavern? Nephthys was unsure of the naming conventions. Was the whole thing a tavern with rooms, or was it an inn with a tavern?
People grew quiet as the pair passed, though Nephthys pretended not to notice. She subtly checked her reflections in dishes and cups of water and ale, but she appeared as she meant to. That is, her celestial nature had not somehow leaked through during the night. Why was everyone going quiet and staring, then?
“That a tamed beast?” the inn’s proprietress called from behind the counter, catching the two just as they opened the exterior door.
Nephthys glanced around briefly, confused, before her eyes landed on Aka. She was stricken with embarrassment at failing to notice the obvious, and the other patrons' behavior suddenly made more sense.
“A summon. I have bade Aka protect Tara,” Nephthys called in reply.
She ensured that her response was loud enough to be heard anywhere in the common room. Her embarrassment aside, this was a prime opportunity for deterrence. Nephthys was comforted knowing that Aka was protecting Tara, but if she could ward off potential threats merely by being there, that was even better.
“You’ll wanna get it registered. Guards don’t look kindly on animals, tamed or summoned or wild, roamin’ around the city unmarked,” the innkeep explained, not looking up from whatever she was doing—bookkeeping, perhaps?
“We are headed to the adventurers guild now. I presume such a thing could be handled there?” Nephthys asked, her hand on the door handle.
“Aye, good call,” came the reply, which Nephthys also understood to be a dismissal.
Exiting into the market square, Nephthys was overwhelmed by a nostalgia that threatened to knock her off her feet. Large storefronts lined the square, casting long shadows in the morning light, most decorated with colorful but functional signage.
The square itself was bustling with activity, even so early in the morning. Stalls were lined along walkways that formed geometric patterns in the grass. Hedges and trees stood sentry at corners and walkway intersections, lending the space a freshness difficult to find in a large city.
People hustled to and fro, families escorting children, business people with bags draped over their shoulders, and all manner of folk starting their days. Their nearly-frantic pace was counterbalanced by a host of older folks resting on benches, enjoying the sunrise, and children playing games in the grass, unhurried.
Nephthys was nearly overstimulated by the boisterous display. Her first weeks in this world had been spent solely within Nemesis’s walls, and much of that time saw her voluntarily confined to her own living quarters, deep in the study of magic.
Such an exuberant display of life, reminiscent of the life she had left behind, was like entering an entirely new world once again.
“I think it’s over there,” Tara said, nudging her and pointing across the square, where a building stood at least a full story above its neighbors.
Nephthys shook her head slightly, realizing that thoughts and feelings were beginning to pile up, unaddressed. With a light shrug, she tossed the new feelings on top, cast the pile to the back of her mind, and started toward the guild.
The building was impressive, but much like all the others in this market, functional. A foundation of stone rose all the way to the second story, where dark wood took over, extending three more stories and towering over the entire square.
Nephthys found the building slightly oppressive compared to the calming atmosphere the square exuded, with its abundant greenery and seating. However, she seemed to be alone in that assessment, as the people going about their business in the market did not even glance at it, while Tara’s gaze held an unmistakable gleam.
Walking through the wide, already-open double doors, likely anticipating heavy foot traffic, Nephthys observed what she expected. She had not been as media-literate as many of her peers, yet even she had passively absorbed the ‘standard’ for an adventurers guild—though such a thing did not exist in Prelude—and this was it.
In the center of the huge hall were several aisles leading to semi-private booths, where receptionists waited, though all were occupied at the moment. There was a large board on the left with jobs pinned and a crowd surrounding it, while the right third of the building was dedicated to an eatery that seemed more bar than restaurant.
The guild was standing room only, packed with adventurers. Some hustled to and from the board, eagerly grabbing what they perceived as the most desirable jobs, while others milled about, unsure about their day’s activities, or possibly waiting on their party members.
Without much indication of where to go, Nephthys joined a queue for a receptionist at random. She could not even see whose counter she was queuing for, as the line was so long. That said, as a fan of logistics, she had to hand it to the guild. The line, though trailing nearly out the door, was moving quickly.
She had noticed out in the square, but the lack of attention on Aka was particularly noticeable here. People in the square glanced at her without even a second thought, but here in the guild, hardly anyone even seemed to notice her. Were tamers and summoners common around here?
Both practices had been considered fun but not late-game viable in Prelude. Players could, and did, defeat droves of NPCs and creatures during normal gameplay, which meant that summons and beasts would never be able to threaten them—not the good players, at least.
Still, Nephthys liked summons both because she thought the magic was cool and because, unlike other players, she was a guild of one. She needed all the help she could get, even for PvE content. Simply having additional bodies to pull aggro was immensely valuable to her.
“How may I assist you?” said a voice, shaking Nephthys out of her reverie.
Somehow, in the span of a few stray thoughts, she had advanced to the front of the line. She now stood before a desk with a partition covering the front. It was positioned so that Nephthys could not see what the receptionist was doing with her hands, but she could see the receptionist’s face.
“I am here for multiple tasks. I wish to register as an adventurer, and I wish to register my summon, Aka,” Nephthys answered, motioning behind her.
Aka purred loudly in response, though Nephthys would understand if anyone nearby mistook it for a growl.
“I see, and the young lady behind you?” the receptionist asked.
She was a woman, possibly in her late twenties or early thirties, with shoulder-length brown hair, pulled back into a neat ponytail. She wore rectangular glasses that gave off an official feel, though perhaps that was because Addy had worked in fast food her whole life. Any attire with an ‘office’ vibe felt prim and sophisticated to her.
“Tara is too young,” Nephthys replied quickly.
“I’m fourteen! I’m not too young,” Tara grumbled from behind.
“Fourteen is, indeed, too young,” the receptionist confirmed with a nod, looking down at her desk and fiddling with something behind the partition.
“Too young…seen more than lots of old…” Tara mumbled under her breath, her arms crossed before her.
Nephthys begrudgingly admitted that she had a point. Tara had seen quite a lot more than Nephthys would be comfortable with adults seeing. Still, that did not mean it was good to continue down that path.
“Please excuse me, I am just organizing a few things. Depending on how you rank, it would be possible for Miss Tara to sign on as your apprentice with the guild. That would still net her an identification, as well as a few perks, though not to the extent that full members receive,” the receptionist explained without looking up, though she seemed to be making idle conversation more than anything.
You snake.
Nephthys repressed a grimace. She did not even need to turn around. She could almost feel the light in Tara’s eyes, the anticipation in her posture.
“Let us get through registration first. There is no need to make significant, potentially life-altering decisions right now, or even today,” Nephthys said, barely glancing over her shoulder.
She watched Tara visibly deflate and sighed. She did not relish crushing the girl’s enthusiasm, but really. Tara had undoubtedly suffered more than anyone should, let alone a child. Why was she so eager to jump back into danger?!
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