//------------------------------// // The Guild // Story: The Kingdom of Everfree // by HeartlessSpartan //------------------------------// The Guild The next morning Orion awoke to see that Basil wasn’t in the room. He put his cloak on and packed his few things and made his way out into the hall. He saw Basil, Regina, and Starswirl waiting together around a table. It was good to see that they had all chosen to stay. He made his way over to join them. “Good morning to you Orion,” Starswirl said, greeting Orion as he approached the table. “Let’s hope the rest of the day goes as well,” Orion said. “What do you mean?” Basil asked. “Nothing, never mind. Where’s our friend Sombra from last night?” Orion asked. “Not too far behind,” Regina said as she nodded toward Orion. Sombra walked up alongside Orion accompanied by another pony and said, “I’m glad to see that you’re all here, plus one I see. I’ve come to see if you all would join the guild with me?” Basil took a good look around the table before saying, “I believe unanimously that you have our support Sombra.” “Excellent, we are in need of skilled recruits. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Erik, I am you recruiter for the guild,” the pony that accompanied Sombra said with a classy tone. The guild pony named Erik has a light blue coat with a well groomed black mane and brown eyes. His cutie mark is of a fluer de lis. He also carries a sheathed rapier and a dagger on either side of him. He was somewhat shorter than most in the group but his posture speaks confidence in his skill with a sword. These guild members may appear friendly but they certainly don’t come across as pushovers. “How do we go about starting all this Erik?” Basil asked. “If you will follow me to the castle up the hill I can explain what awaits you in the guild. There the guild leader Marcus can set you up and perhaps even issue your first task as initiates,” Erik said. “Let’s be on our way then!” Sombra said enthusiastically, eager as he is to get started. “If you would follow me,” Erik said once again. Erik lead the group out of the hall and through the streets of the village; weaving their way past the village ponies paying no mind to their presence and going about their business. The villagers all dressed in thick clothes and walked close together to stave off the cold. Erik explained and answered any questions that the group had about the guild along the way. “By now you may be wondering what exactly it is the guild does and why we do it,” Erik mentioned. “Those happened to be our peak interests, yes,” Basil agreed. “What the guild does is remove the lesser undesirable and most often evil creatures from the world of the civilized and sophisticated creatures,” Erik explained. “Doesn’t exactly sound like the most desirable of occupations,” Orion said, taking into account the dangers involved. “Of course it isn’t! Which is also why we are well compensated for our endeavors and services,” Eric explained as he opened the large wooden doors to the castle. Everyone took a good look at the interior of the entry hall of the castle. The room was beautifully decorated from floor to ceiling with carpets and draperies of numerous colors. The walls were covered with fancy art and chandeliers hung from the ceiling giving the room a warm glow. On top of all this was the welcoming warm air that attempted to rush out the doors behind them before Erik could close them. “You weren’t joking when you said the guild is well compensated,” Basil said gazing up at the chandeliers. “Reminds me of the keep back home,” Starswirl said. “This way,” Erik said as he walked onward through the room. The group approached two mares that look almost completely identical. They both have tan coats with brown manes and brown eyes. They were a shining essence of beauty until the katana they each carried became visible, intimidating yet barely diminishing their elegance. It was becoming ever more obvious that these ponies in the guild weren’t always local because of their rare weapons. “Sara and Evelyn, it warms my heart to see your safe return to the guild,” Erik said to the mares with a bow. “To think there might’ve been something in our way,” Sara said smartly, but with a soft voice. “You try too hard Erik, though your kindness is much appreciated,” Evelyn said with an very similar soft voice as Sara. The two mares brushed past the stallions on purpose with simple smiles and didn’t say word. Everyone but Regina watched as they walked away. “Alright you all can ogle later. Weren’t we doing something!?” Regina said rather loudly to break the stallions from their ‘trance’. “Indeed, and to the point,” Erik said as he continued. “Easily distracted?” Regina asked Basil jokingly as they walked. “Can’t exactly blame me for it can you?” Basil replied with a smile. “Just watch me,” Regina snapped back. “Sara and Evelyn are as beautiful as they are deadly. Each of them knows quite well how to utilize their beauty as a weapon. Often enough, giving in to your feminine side is much more a strength than a weakness,” Erik said as they continued through the castle that was elaborately decorated all the way through. “I think I’ll pass on that Erik,” Regina said. “Suit yourself, and here we are,” Erik said. The group stopped outside a large wooden door with intricate swirls carved into the wood. Through the door they could hear a violin play, stop, the play again. Erik knocked on the door, but there was no answer, merely more violin music playing. Erik knocked again before opening the door. As they walked in they saw that the room was a large private office. The office was decorated with rare trinkets and trophies from most likely all over the world. There was just about everything from skulls and claws to strange masks and musical instruments. A large carved desk sat near the far wall, a fireplace to the right, and a great pane glass window on the opposing wall. Near the window was a great red stallion with an orange mane and yellow eyes, crossed axes for a cutie mark. The stallion was playing a violin and writing notes onto a lyric sheet on a stand near the window. “I apologize for the interruption, but we have recruits that wish to be initiated into the guild,” Erik said as he approached the red stallion. “Erik! Good, it’s good you’re here. You’re a true musician, take this and tell me what you think so far,” the stallion said handing the violin to Erik and moved him to the window. Erik read the sheet and played the violin. He would stop and speak with the stallion looking over his shoulder about the notes. Nobody else could understand what they were saying, but they were also unsure if the stallion had even noticed they were in the room. “What do you think?” the stallion asked. “Rudimentary yet surprisingly unique to your qualities Marcus,” Eric said as he set the violin on the desk and directed his attention back to the group waiting near the door. “So these are the recruits I was told about?” Marcus, the red stallion, asked. “Indeed they are, and eager for their first task,” Erik said. “Excellent, if they complete their first mission then they are welcome to stay in any of the extra rooms in the castle,” Marcus said. “What might that be?” Basil asked. “Initiates must go through the trials of Knight’s Peak in order to become an official member. You must earn your place here by doing so. A certain crystal is required to make your way through,” Marcus explained. “A crystal like this?” Sombra asked as he removed a glowing white crystal from a saddlebag. “Same kind as that, but you’ll need a bigger one than that. The only place I could think to find one now is the unicorn’s keep,” Marcus said as he walked behind his desk and took a seat. “I know of this crystal, and I know where they happen to keep it,” Starswirl mentioned. “Excellent, it seems you are more than capable of acquiring this item; especially with your numbers and inside knowledge of its location. You are all welcome to stay the night here to prepare if you wish, and you will be free to stay upon your return. It shouldn’t be too difficult for you to find an empty room for each of you here,” Marcus said as he organized papers on his desk. “I’ll escort you all to the dining room and you’ll be free to go about your business from there,” Erik said as he ushered the group out of the office. When the group entered the dining room there were three long tables furnished well with silverware, plates, and candles. The walls were lines with cabinets filled with fine china and great chandeliers hung from the high ceiling. A massive pane window at one end of the room overlooked the land outside below the castle. Erik kindly set out some refreshments for the group and made his leave. Basil made his way to the window to look outside before asking, “What more do you know about getting this crystal Starswirl?” “Couldn’t be more perfect timing actually, even in these hard times us unicorns certainly know how to host a party. A costume party of sorts, fancy dress, masks, etcetera. They are having it quite soon,” Starswirl was saying. “A party? Starswirl it sounds as though you already have a plan to steal from your own keep,” Orion said with a laugh as he helped himself to a drink pouring from a carafe. “I don’t mind doing it so long as we can acquire my research while we’re there. I want the freedom to resume my studies without constraint. I do in fact have a plan,” Starswirl said, sliding a cup toward Orion to pour him a drink as well. “We’ve done everything thus far to avoid a confrontation with the unicorns Starswirl. I certainly hope you have a convincing plan,” Basil said as he looked back from near the window. “I don’t want a confrontation any more than you do, which is why we’ll disguise you as unicorns,” Starswirl said before taking a drink. “I’m sure there’s got to be something we could use here in the castle,” Orion said, waving his hoof about referring to the elegance of everything they can see just in this room. “Yes, except Regina. I’m afraid there isn’t much I can do to conceal her,” Starswirl mentioned. “Regina will be our way out in the event we’re discovered. After all she had no problem lifting a diamond dog,” Basil added to the plan. “I’m fine with this,” Regina said, joining Basil near the window. “So long as Starswirl can get us in, we’ll get his research and the crystal,” Basil said. “I can speak with Erik about getting the appropriate attire,” Sombra said, agreeing to the plan. “Starswirl, how soon is this party?” Orion asked. “We should leave as soon as we can in the morning, we wouldn’t last in the night,” Starswirl replied. “It’s settled then, gather whatever we need, then we’ll leave at the first light of the day,” Basil said. Regina turned towards the window and quietly asked Basil, “Do you trust them Basil?” “Just Orion, but something tells me this might actually work. I believe we might get something more from this guild,” Basil quietly replied. “More, like what?” Regina asked. “I’m not sure, anything, everything. A better life, something greater than the starvation and death that awaited us before; I’m thinking we might have a chance to build something instead of destroying. I mean just look at this place,” Basil explained, keeping the conversation quiet enough between the two of them. “I didn’t think I would ever find myself in a place like this Basil, it gives me even greater reasons to stay,” Regina said. “I don’t think any of us did Regina, and I think this is just a taste of what we’ll see,” Basil said as he looked out the window at the frozen waste of land, and all the village ponies struggling to survive even with the assistance of the guild.