Xerxes and Ikazuchi walk in relative silence as they head toward their newest client in Rush Valley. The details of the request, like most of the requests they undertook, was scarce but that didn’t bother them. Xerxes cracks his neck, his body still sore from his daily run up the mountain. He hoped that today’s quest wouldn’t be too strenuous but subconsciously, he knew better. Before long, the duo found themselves in Rush Valley, a prospering which greatly benefitted from the nearby mine. As they passed multiple shops, Xerxes noted a couple items that caught his eye. After finishing up this request, he made a mental note to come back and spend some of his hard-earned jewels at the shops.

“This is the place?” Xerxes asks in amazement as he sees the meeting location in the distance. It was a mansion; the likes of which Xerxes had never seen before. Though it was not as large or elegant as the ones around it, it was still impressive. As the two neared the mansion of the quest giver, a booming voice greets them. “So, you boys must be the ones who accepted my little request.” A man in his late fifties walks down the stairs with arms spread open. If the property they stood on did not signify his wealth, his clothes sure did. He quickly ushers the duo inside and directs them to his den. “Would you care for a drink?” he asks as he begins to pour himself a rather large shot glass of a strong-smelling brown liquid. Xerxes declines his offer, not seeing Ikazuchi’s choice, as he sits down. The man downs the drink in one gulp as he moves towards the two and sits in a seat elevated from them as to signify his status.

“First and foremost, I want to thank you boys for accepting my little offer. I figured between you and the other guild; you might be more willing to do some of the things I require. There are many things in this area that I can purchase but there is one that eludes me, Dawncliff Mine. I lack the raw man power to map it out entirely and fully gain control of it. Those that I hire can only do so much as there are other miners down there who run off my men, usually with force. I’ve come to the realization that ‘normal’ men and women are not suited for this job which is why I’ve come to you. I need you to enter the mine and find the section of the mine that’s going to wield the most profit for me and map it out. As I mentioned, you’ll likely run into miners who won’t be thrilled to see what they consider an ‘outsider’ there.” Pausing for a moment, he leans closer towards the two men as his facial features darken. “It would be in my best interests if you removed them from what will soon be my mine. I’ll leave the finer details of that to you but I assure you, no one will miss them if they happened to ‘disappear’. If so, I’ll reward you boys handsomely.” Xerxes, agreeing to the man’s terms, rises up and shakes his hand, the two going over some minor details before departing. As the duo walk down the steps and head towards the mine, Xerxes turns towards Ikazuchi. “So, how did you want to play this?”

WC: 573

The day started early for Ikazuchi who had the habit of training around dawn. The specifics of the training varied from day to day, but he almost always ended it by sparring with some of the Sleeping Calamity members. Around the time he finished that, Xerxes returned from his own daily training. The two were both dedicated, so they frequently encountered each other after finishing their training. They didn’t speak much generally, but today they both coincidentally chose to take a request after their training.

Since they were both there for a request, they naturally chose to work together rather than separately since they could currently earn more by doing so. Ikazuchi actually preferred Xerxes as a partner compared to most of the guildmates as the man was someone who didn’t rely on magic similar to himself. They had also worked together previously, so they had a certain amount of understanding compared to most of their guildmates.

When the two reviewed their options Ikazuchi was once more drawn to the requests for the Dawncliff Mine area. The prospector job was relatively simple, so he suggested it to Xerxes. They discussed it briefly before choosing it due to the high rewards available. Ikazuchi’s desire may have slightly influenced the decision, but there didn’t seem to be any other high paying request currently. This meant that the two would have likely chosen this request regardless.

They departed for Rush Valley immediately after making a decision, and were able to arrive by a reasonable time. They made their way toward the location where they would meet their employer who submitted the request to the guild. Ikazuchi knew that it was a different man than he dealt with previously, so he was curious about the exact details of the job he had in mind.

Ikazuchi and Xerxes didn’t speak much after departing from the guild, partially due to their slight fatigue from training. Ikazuchi wasn’t one to engage in idle conversation, so he didn’t mind this fact. They simply moved along while briefly stopping to check the shops that interested them. He didn’t particularly have anything he needed currently, so Ikazuchi quickly lost interest. After obtaining his new armor and making his new sword, it would take a special item for him to consider purchasing it.

They didn’t waste too much time in town as they arrived at their employers mansion only slightly later than expected. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread as he realized what kind of person they would meet. The man who greeted them caused that feeling of dread to strengthen further. ‘This is the worst…’ He restrained a sigh as he mentally prepared himself for the annoying behavior of someone who was too wealthy for his own good.

In response to being offered the liquor, Ikazuchi smiled and shook his head. He didn’t show it, but he silently judged the man for offering drinks. This was just one of the many tendencies that he disliked about a wealthy man, even their kindness could be misplaced or lack consideration. Ikazuchi took a seat near Xerxes that was opposite the man before the two listened to the various details of the request.

The man spoke far too much for Ikazuchi who mostly listened during the discussion. He only chimed in occasionally when needed, but there wasn’t much to add. The rewards offered were generous enough that he could tolerate the man’s long-winded explanation. He welcomed the moment when they all came to an agreement. At some point, they exchanged a handshake with the man before eventually departing. It was only once they were outside that Ikazuchi let loose the sigh he had restrained before Xerxes inquired about Ikazuchi’s thoughts.

“Honestly, it’s really simple. If we know there are miners in the area that we’re going to, we can just get their ‘help’ in order to provide the information we need.” Ikazuchi smiled slightly as he continued. “We can achieve both of our goals like that, so all we need to do is find those ‘friendly’ miners he mentioned, right?” His right hand was placed on top of the sword hilt at his right side as he spoke revealing his intentions clearly.

Word Count: 700

“’Friendly’…right.” Xerxes says with a smile as he sees his comrade gently place his hand at the hilt of his sword. It was obviously that they were going to have get their hands dirty in disposing the other miners. The reward he was offering was generous enough but the bonus they would receive for doing so would be even better. With that bonus reward, Xerxes realized that he could buy the weapon that caught his eye as he passed by the shops earlier in the afternoon, the Legendary Jotunn’s Fang. The legend of Jotunns and by extension Jotunn’s Fang extended as far as even Desierto, the creatures of Iceberg being revered for their power and abilities. The power to effortlessly freeze anything it touched in an instant. The Jotunn’s fang was alleged supposed to have the fang of an actual Jotunn attached to it. The polearm now being revered for possessing a dulled version of the freezing ability. The prospect of such a weapon in his possession would bring him one step closer to his goals. Now, he only needed to obtain it. As with before, the two of them walked in relative silence as they made their way to the Dawncliff Mine, each finding comfort in the fact that they were likeminded. They were both warriors who sought to find even greater strength. For Xerxes, he sought to obtain the power he desired naturally though he knew his human body would have limitations. He believed that magic was a crutch and had no desire to further his goals with its help. He had a hunch on how he could obtain that natural power he craved but wanted more information before he could truly set out to discover this on his own.

An hour passes as the two finally reach Dawncliff Mine. The mine was lightly guarded by five unarmed men standing at either side, all seemed to be horribly uninterested. Xerxes quickly moves out of sight, ushering for Ikazuchi to follow. Once in an area he believes is sufficient, he begins to speak. “Looks like after our generous benefactor’s group failed, they’ve posted people up to dissuade further attempts. I’ll take out the group of five standing post. If you don’t mind, could you do a quick check around to secure the perimeter? Afterward, we’ll go in and get it done.” Slowly drawing the spear sheathed on his back, Xerxes crouches down and begins to slowly stalk the group. Closer and closer he inches towards them before he finally comes within twenty feet. “Surprised that windbag in Rush Valley hasn’t sent in fresh meat in a bit. Perhaps he’s finally realized he’s not getting this mine. Disappointing, I was hoping to slaughter more of the stupid. The dainty ones are always the best.” “Nah, that old bastard will send someone else and we’ll put them out of their misery. Another day another paycheck for us.”

As the quintet converses, Xerxes slowly raises up his spear, aiming it at the head of the furthest one in the pack. With a light grunt of force, Xerxes tosses his spear and impales the man in the head. The remaining four jump back in surprise as Xerxes uses the opportunity to pounce. He nears the first man, thrusting his opened palm right underneath the man’s chin before unsheathing his concealed blade, killing him instantly. Two other men fall with equal brutality. The final man, seeing the corpses of his dead comrades around him, attempts to run into the mine to alert the others. Violently yanking the spear out of the first man’s body, Xerxes quickly appears in front of him and silences him before he gets a word out. Bemoaning the mess he’s made; Xerxes quickly moves the bodies to the side and sees Ikazuchi in the distance. “After you…” he says as they enter.

WC: 642
TWC: 1,215

Ikazuchi knew that Xerxes understood his intent from his smile, so he didn’t add anything more. Due to his previous experiences with Dawncliff Mine, he knew what kind of people they would encounter. While there were good people who worked in the mines, there were just as many who didn’t deserve mercy. Certain areas were entirely controlled by them, so it wouldn’t be hard to fulfill the requirements of their employer.

They made their way to the mine quietly after their short conversation. Ikazuchi noted that Xerxes had changed some of his equipment as they traveled. He couldn’t be sure without inspecting it, but it seemed to be higher quality than what the man previously owned. As a blacksmith, he was curious about the equipment and its function. More than that though, his warrior nature led to a growing urge to battle his guildmate. ‘Maybe after he gets a new weapon…’ Ikazuchi couldn’t help but feel that a fight would be unfair if they faced each other right now due to the quality difference between their weapons.

The hour that it took to arrive at the mine was peaceful as they wouldn’t encounter anything until they arrived. Once they did arrive, they saw five guards waiting for them. Ikazuchi wasn’t too concerned about this due to his nature, but he didn’t refuse when Xerxes led him to a different area before speaking. “I can do that.” Ikazuchi didn’t have any reason to refuse the request, so he answered simply before drawing his swords and moving into the surroundings while Xerxes was approaching the group of five.

‘Might as well be careful if we’re doing it this way…’ He roughly knew the various paths around the area and could estimate the approximate area where patrols would logically move. His pace picked up as he moved into the area where he suspected there would be guards. He didn’t need to stop and question anyone as he could obtain the information about their relations with the previous men from a glance. If he encountered anyone associated with them, he would send them on their way.

He started searching from the side they had their discussion at and made his way around the perimeter. It wasn’t long before he moved at a full sprint through the estimated path while scanning his surroundings. It was only after covering most of the area that he saw a pair roaming around. The information that he instinctively knew confirmed that these men were related to the five from before. ‘Found some.’ He couldn’t help but smile slightly as he gained an objective.

He was rapidly approaching the unsuspecting pair from behind. The area was mostly barren, so there wasn’t much to hide his presence. While that meant that there weren’t any hindrances between them, it also meant they were more likely to notice him. Oh had their footsteps pause at that moment before he spoke. “Do you hear that?” The other responded immediately. “Hear what?”

The man who noticed something turned his head only to see Ikazuchi very close to the pair. “Be-” Ikazuchi knew the man was about to shout the word behind, but he had been too late as Ikazuchi’s sword reached his throat before he could finish speaking. The second man was a few steps ahead and turned around to check what happened, but Ikazuchi was a step faster while relying on his momentum. His other sword reached that man’s neck a moment later. Just like that, two heads soared into the sky with shocked expressions.

Ikazuchi finally came to a stop after decapitating two men. ‘There shouldn’t be anymore in the area.’ He gave the surroundings one final glance before turning his attention back towards the direction where Xerxes was. ‘I wonder if he’s finished up yet?’ He made his way towards the mine while wondering that. The sight that greeted him was five dead bodies neatly situated to one side with blood decorating the area in a way that revealed his companions brutality.

After seeing Ikazuchi the man greeted him while offering the lead to him. Ikazuchi stepped in without hesitation and spoke. “I found two patrolling, that was a good call. It would have been annoying if they had reinforcements waiting for us when we came out.” Spellcutter was sheathed after he entered leaving Breaker in his right hand. His gaze constantly focused on the areas that had low visibility in order to ensure they faced no ambushes from the dark.

“We need to make sure to keep our new friends breathing this time. We need some information before we send them on their way.” Ikazuchi couldn’t help but remind his companion after recalling the state of the bodies from earlier. He doubted that Xerxes needed the reminder, but it didn’t hurt to do so. In some ways, he was reminding himself. He couldn’t say that he was any less decisive with the two he encountered. If he had thought about it, they could have checked to see how many people were in the mine.

Word Count: 840
Total Word Count: 1,540

“Of course, I hadn’t forgotten. I’d rather not walk around this mine aimlessly.” Xerxes says to his comrade as they fully enter the mine. He knew that information was paramount in successfully completing this mission. He correctly assumed, however, that the quintet of men that originally guarded the entrance would not have any information that would benefit the quest. They were, for lack of better terms, expendable hence the fate they met.

As they walked, Xerxes decided to break the monotonous silence and ask about the dark weapon in his right hand, Breaker. It was striking and masterfully crafted, something that caught Xerxes’ eye as soon as he saw it. Ikazuchi did not have the weapon when they first met a short time prior so he was curious just where he found such a weapon. During their conversation, Xerxes learned that Ikazuchi himself had crafted this weapon as a culmination of everything he learned after secluding himself for two years in the Worth Woodsea wilderness. This weapon was the direct result of his knowledge, his blood, his sweat, and his tears. Xerxes could only marvel at the craftsmanship of the weapon and silently wondered to himself if Ikazuchi’s talents could repair his family’s heirloom, the Spear of Horus. The spear had not been touched in some time but, if he had made such a weapon from scratch, Ikazuchi might be the one to do it. While briefly mentioning the spear, Xerxes sought it best to bring up his request at a later point. Excited at the prospect of returning his family’s most treasured possession to its original glory, Xerxes continues ahead with renewed vigor.

As they continued forward, Xerxes suddenly stops talking and raises his hand up. He could faintly hear the sounds of footsteps approaching. “Someone’s coming.” He whispers as he begins to draw his spear. Before fully unsheathing it, he stops; remembering Ikazuchi’s words of capturing one of the men first in order to interrogate them for information. “Old habits…” he mumbles to himself while sheathing as he opts for a different approach. He skulks ahead, keeping his center of gravity low towards the ground as he spots the source of the footsteps he heard earlier. It was a miner, one who was surprisingly larger than Xerxes himself, carrying a pickaxe casually slung across his right shoulder. Xerxes knew that he had to do this quickly and quietly as to not alert everyone in the mine of their presence just yet. He creeps closer, perfectly blending in the shadows as to not startle his prey. Inching closer, he comes within a few feet of the man, smelling his overpowering cologne with disgust. Seizing his opportunity, Xerxes sneaks up and puts the man in a chokehold, tightly locking his arms around the man’s neck. His pickaxe clangs against the ground as the man attempts to scream but finds himself unable to. In a desperate effort to get Xerxes off his back, he continually rams his back against the mine walls. Pain shoots throughout the Desiertian’s body as he is repeatedly rammed into the wall, however his grip around the man’s neck remains as tight as ever.

During the scuffle, Xerxes could faintly hear more approaching footsteps, likely another miner or two in the area that decided to investigate the noises. “Ikazuchi…if you please.” Xerxes says as he shakes his head over in the direction of the sound before being violently rammed into the wall again. Deciding to once again focus his attention on the man, he plants his feet on the ground, using his superior strength to keep the man at bay before tightening the grip. The man begins to weaken as he drops to a knee, the hold still locked in. He furiously attempts to grab the pickaxe at his feet but Xerxes transitions the choke into a grapevine around the man’s burly frame before the man passes out.

“Hey…wake up.” Xerxes says as he forcefully slaps the man across the face. The man slowly comes out of his haze and attempts to lunge towards Xerxes but finds himself tightly tied up to a pillar with chains. He goes to speak but finds that his mouth has been taped shut. The man glances around, seeing the dead bodies of his comrades lying about Ikazuchi standing in the midst of them with Breaker drawn while Xerxes remains slightly to the man’s left. “Oh good, you’re awake.” Xerxes says as he uses the man’s shirt to wipe the blood from the tip of his spear. The man attempts to lunge once more but is restrained by the chains. “Really?” the Desiertian sighs as he walks away from the man while dragging the bladed point of his spear on the ground. “So, here’s how this is going to go. In a moment, I’m going to remove that tape from your mouth and you are going to tell us everything we want to know about this mine. How many people are here, the most profitable locations in this mine and so on. Now, I want you to think about something before we remove that tape. Look around you, take a good look around you. Do you see what happened with your friends? Most of this was his handiwork but we both can do a lot more. You peacefully give us the information that we require and you are good to go. You can leave and likely never hear from us again.”

Suddenly, Xerxes closes the gap and stabs the tip of the spear into the ground, mere centimeters away from the man’s groin. He lets out a muffled scream as his face turns white, desperately attempting to escape. Xerxes’ features darken as he leans his face closer to the man’s and begins to speak once more. “However, if you attempt to spit on my generosity, if I hear anything coming out of your mouth that is not what my partner and I want to hear, my spear will meet your spear. Understand?” All traces of defiance gone; the man readily nods in agreement as a smile spread across Xerxes’ face. “I’m glad we are in agreement.” He says as he rises up, removing the tape as he does so. He leaves the spear in place as a message that his words were serious. “Come on now. Please don’t keep us waiting.”

WC: 1,059
TWC: 2,274/2,250 (10% WCR)

Ikazuchi maintained a high level of focus as he made his way into the mine alongside Xerxes. The dark crevices and paths without lights continued to draw his attention as he checked for anyone skulking around in the dark. He chose to take this role as he could clearly see in the darkness, and this made him the perfect scout while within mines where the lighting would be limited to artificial sources. Even along the main path, the lamps that illuminated the area were sparse. Ikazuchi felt that this fact was extremely beneficial as they would likely recognize any of the miners before being noticed.

While they made their way deeper into the mine carefully, Xerxes took the chance to ask Ikazuchi about where he obtained his sword. Ikazuchi was happy to oblige as he controlled his volume to a level that wouldn’t carry too far down the tunnel. “I forged it myself…” His grip slightly shifted as he held the sword before he smiled and continued. “I gave it the name Breaker after I finally succeeded in making it.” The conversation flowed naturally from this sentence towards the story of how the weapon came to be. “I don’t know if you know this, but I only recently returned to the guild. Actually, the request that we accepted before was one of the first ones that I accepted since returning.”

Ikazuchi paused for a moment to listen for movement or other voices before continuing. “I spent most of the two years before returning in the Worth Woodsea training and researching crafting techniques. Honestly, the reason I returned when I did was because I needed to collect a few particular materials to create the sword.” Although it was a recent success, talking about it like this made him feel a sense of nostalgia as he recalled his time spent in seclusion. Ikazuchi briefly turned to look at Xerxes who had fallen silent after listening to his story. The man seemed to be lost in thought, so Ikazuchi didn’t continue to add more to his story. “If you ever need a blacksmith, I’d be happy to offer my services as long as you provide the materials.” This was the final sentence that he left for his guildmate before proceeding with cautious silence.  

The two were walking side by side at this point, Ikazuchi on the left and Xerxes on the right. He had already shifted Breaker into his left hand in order to not accidentally hinder their movements in this confined space. The both paused simultaneously as they were on high alert. Xerxes, seemingly out of habit, signaled for Ikazuchi to stop and informed him that someone was coming. Ikazuchi’s gaze that had been focused deeper in the tunnel shifted when he heard the sound of the spear being drawn. Ikazuchi was on the verge of reminding his partner once more when the man ceased his actions and mumbled in a voice that he could barely hear about old habits.

Ikazuchi smirked due to that as he silently accepted that Xerxes would be the one to capture the first person they were coming across in the mines. Generally, Ikazuchi had an advantage in this confined space due to the size of their weapons so he felt that it was ideal for him to focus on dealing with anyone else that may come along. ‘We only need one alive, right?’ He questioned himself as he considered his options for anyone that may come along during this time.

Ikazuchi intentionally approached slower in order to not disrupt his companion’s stealthy approach. His steps only accelerated after Xerxes and the large miner’s tussle began. He didn’t consider attempting to help his companion as he directly avoided the two and moved a few feet deeper in preparation for anyone that may come from deeper in the mine. Like Xerxes, Ikazuchi had gotten a whiff of the man’s cologne as he passed by so he intentionally went a bit further than he initially intended.

He intentionally positioned himself with his back towards the wall of the tunnel in order to more easily hear approaching sounds while also turning his attention towards Xerxes who had been slammed into the wall multiple times now. ‘That looks like it hurts…’ He thought that, but he was appreciative of the fact that his companions' expression hadn’t shifted in the slightest. It was at that moment that he heard someone approaching and turned his attention towards the depths of the mine. Xerxes also heard the noise moments later as he requested that Ikazuchi deal with the problem. “Of course.”

After responding, Ikazuchi chose to wait where he was rather than move deeper into the mine in order to confront those who were approaching. He could clearly see the three men who made their way towards him despite the dim lighting. They were well built, but it didn’t seem that any of them were particularly skilled warriors. He felt somewhat disappointed, but he could also understand why the guild received the request based on them. Just based on raw strength, it would be difficult for the average person to subdue these men. It was only people like Ikazuchi and Xerxes who trained their physical strength to the limit that would easily be able to dispatch these men.

From this point forward, there weren’t any surprises. Ikazuchi easily dispatched those who were drawn to the noise while Xerxes captured the man that he had been dealing with. Ikazuchi continued to guard the path while his guildmate bound and extracted information from the only living miner. The man wasn’t able to withstand the threats, so they quickly gained the information. A couple more were drawn to the commotion during this time, but they were easily finished off causing the man’s information to be given even more hurriedly.

Naturally, the two weren’t naive enough to trust the man due to this. After gaining the information, they took him as a guide as they cleared the mine skillfully of any remaining miners and confirmed several areas that they could report. The man actively provided a map that their group used after seeing their display of force and violence throughout the mine. Unfortunately, his efforts didn’t change his fate as Ikazuchi ultimately finished him off. Ikazuchi didn’t bat an eye as his actions contradicted what his companion offered. He wasn’t someone who would intentionally spare an enemy who could return for vengeance, so the man’s death was a foregone conclusion. With that man’s death, the two had fully accomplished their goal so they returned to the mansion of their employer and received their rewards.

Word Count: 1,100
Total Word Count: 2,640

OOC: Quest Completed