The Begalir Kingdom


    a sprawling dwarven realm built deep beneath the earth, was a marvel of craftsmanship and ingenuity. Its forges burned day and night, producing the finest weapons and contraptions known to humans, elves, and beasts alike. But this industrious nation was no stranger to peril. Every day, the kingdom''s dark tunnels and caverns churned out threats—monsters lurking in the shadows, eager to spill into dwarven settlements.


    Though it could and did make for a most powerful army, it could not waste resources on every little menace. So, instead, they depended on adventurers, daring individuals who answered the call to protect the kingdom from dangers too great for commoners yet too insignificant to warrant full-scale military intervention. Over time, Begalir had become one of the largest guild hubs in existence, its halls bustling with eager adventurers from all corners of the world.


    Inside the Malaria Guildhall, a quest giver loomed over a wooden desk piled high with parchment. His stern gaze met the Silver Stars, an S-class team of adventurers known for their exploits throughout the kingdom.


    "And your quest is to kill 150 Dirtlings, 20 Golemites, 30 Spirebats, 15 Geospawners, 40 Pebbleslingers, and 40 Stoneburrows just outside the town of Malaria," the guild worker announced, his voice clipped and efficient. "Your reward will be 1,500 gold coins upon completion."


    Callam Lancaster, the self-proclaimed leader of the team, leaned against the desk with a cocky grin. "Nearly 300 monsters, huh? That''s quite the haul—and quite the reward."


    The receptionist, Dukrael Jadehide, rolled his eyes as he handed over the quest papers. "This is why the mission is rated A+. It''s assumed you and your team can handle it, considering you''re the Silver Stars." He didn''t bother to mask his sarcasm. "Anyway, enjoy your monster-slaying spree. I''ll be here, earning a pitiful 12 Ironmarks an hour.


    Callam puffed out his chest, ready to boast. “And you’re correct to have faith in us! Allow me to introduce myself: the strongest swordsman and the leader of this fine group!”


    Before he could continue, Rurnyl Midira, the group’s sharp-tongued archer, cut him off. “Callam, you’re an idiot. And you’re not even a swordsman.”


    “What? Of course I’m a swordsman!” Callam protested, gesturing to the weapon strapped across his back.


    "That," Rurnyl said with a smirk, pointing at his weapon, "is a double-bladed spear. Not. A. Sword."


    "Exactly," chimed in Mariot Sartre, their assassin and the only Valkyren in the group. She casually unsheathed a sleek dagger from her scabbard, twirling it deftly in her hand. "These are swords. See the difference?"


    Callam, sputtering, turned to the final member of their team for support. "Caineghis, back me up here!"


    The wolf beastman, intent on cleaning his customized crossbow launcher—affectionately named Wolfstrider—barely looked up. "Huh? Oh, sure, Callam. You''re the strongest swordsman I know," he replied absently, not hiding his grin.


    The room burst out laughing, and even Callam couldn''t resist it after a moment. It was just another day for the Silver Stars, ready to dive headfirst into whatever chaos awaited them outside the town of Malaria.


    The Gravemaw''s entrance was as dramatic as it was terrifying. The wall it burst through crumbled into a storm of rubble, the ground quaking under the massive creature’s weight. Standing 20 feet tall, its obsidian-like hide gleamed faintly, etched with glowing runes. Its gaping maw revealed rows of jagged teeth, and its six legs crushed the earth beneath it with each step. The Gravemaw let out a deafening roar, shaking the very cavern around them.


    "That''s a Gravemaw!" Mitsuzane gasped, her squirrel tail fluffing up in alarm. "Class S threat. Highly resistant to physical attacks and capable of—"


    "Being destroyed!" Callam interrupted, spinning his double-bladed spear with reckless bravado. "Let''s take this beast down, team!"


    Mariot cracked her neck and flared her sharp Valkyren wings. "Finally, a challenge worth my time."


    Rurnyl cocked an arrow and grinned. "Don''t get eaten, Callam. I''m not pulling you out of this thing."


    Caineghis, ever practical, rigged a smoke bomb drenched in paralyzing powder. "Let''s not make this some sort of cautionary tale," she said.


    The Gravemaw lunged, its massive jaws snapping shut where Callam had stood mere seconds before. The team leader rolled to the side and retaliated, hurling his spear. The weapon struck true, bouncing off the creature''s thick hide before arcing back into his hand. The blow didn''t leave a scratch.


    "Mitsi!" he called. "A little magic help here?


    “I’m on it!” Mitsuzane clasped her hands together, summoning glowing glyphs into the air. “Erython Fractalis!” She thrust her hands forward, sending a barrage of crystalline shards at the Gravemaw. The projectiles exploded against its hide, leaving faint scorch marks.


    “It’s resistant to magic, too!” she cried. “But not immune.”


    "Then we hit it harder!" Mariot leapt into the fray, her daggers flashing as she darted around the Gravemaw. Her wings propelled her like a blur, letting her land precision strikes at its exposed joints.


    "Focus on the runes!" Rurnyl called from a safe distance, loosing an arrow tipped with explosive powder. The arrow struck one of the glowing runes on the Gravemaw''s side, causing it to flicker and dim.


    That''s a weak point!" Mitsuzane confirmed, scanning the creature with a quick spell. "Draw out the runes to drop its defenses!"


    Caineghis fired his crossbow, launching a specially brewed acid bolt. The projectile hissed as it ate away at another rune, and the Gravemaw staggered. "Keep it up!


    The Gravemaw slammed its massive claws to the ground, sending shockwaves out in all directions. The team scattered just in time, avoiding being knocked off their feet. Mitsuzane''s golems took the brunt of the blow, but one of them crumbled from the impact.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "Hang on, big guy!" Mitsuzane called out, calling another golem to replace the fallen one. She then conjured a protective barrier around her teammates. "We have this!"


    The battle raged on, the team working in perfect harmony. Callam distracted the Gravemaw with flashy attacks, drawing its attention. Rurnyl and Caineghis targeted its runes, while Mitsuzane kept the team protected and empowered with her spells. Mariot, ever the brawler, dealt devastating blows to its weakened spots.


    And then, all but its runes were cracked, the Gravemaw let out one last ear-shattering bellow. Callam took his moment, leaping up to the air with his lit spear. "This stops now! Treacherous Spiral!" he screamed and spun his spear with mad speed as he plummeted down. The attack landed on the Gravemaw''s head with such force that it crashed the beast to the ground.


    The creature fell, the glowing runes extinguishing as it let out a low defeated groan. The team stood victorious, breathing hard but triumphant.


    "Now *that''s* how you take down a boss!" Callam exclaimed, resting his spear on his shoulder.


    "You mean, that''s how *we* take down a boss," Rurnyl corrected, smirking as she retrieved her arrows.


    "Whatever," Mariot said, brushing dirt off her armor. "Let''s just hope there''s a reward for this thing. That fight was brutal."


    Caineghis walked over to the Gravemaw''s remains, examining the glowing runes. "We should report this back to the guild. A monster like this showing up near Malaria is bad news."


    Mitsuzane sighed in relief, her tail flicking behind her. "Well, I''d say we earned that 1,500 gold coins."


    The team smiled, their camaraderie strengthened by another hard-won victory. But with the echoes of their laughter faded, Callam raised his spear, pointing to a deeper part of the cave. "Alright, Silver Stars, let''s keep going. Something tells me this adventure isn''t over yet.


    “Move!” Callam ordered as the group dived out of the way as the Gravemaw surfaced, Callam rolling out of the way. As the monster came and rammed Mariot out of the sky.


    “Sol d''l''uuuniloh!” Rurnyl yelled in her native language and immediately taking out a potion pouring over her eyes and arms. Seconds later she was outputting 55 arrows per second, pumping as many arrows into the Gravemaw the potion supercharged her senses.


    “Popping the super abilities huh?…alright my turn.” Mariot replied, stabbing her own hand with her dagger and yelling. All while Callam and Caineghis watched since they don’t have super abilities.


    “Spüre das Zorn der Engelsklinge!”


    In her native tongue, and right after a transformation occurred she grew an additional wings, from two to four wings, her wingman increasing from 18 to 30. And her body growing from a mere 5’1 to a 7’5.


    “Mariot throw me!” Callam ordered as the transformed Valkyren then used her incredible strength to then throw Callam directly at the Gravemaw, launching forward directly at the monster’s face stabbing it in the eye making it wail and cover its face as Callam’s spear was wedged into its flesh.


    “Now!” Callam ordered.


    A moments later Mariot then spun her body around throwing as many feather blades at the Gravemaw in addition of slashing at it with her arm blades at 400 miles per hour since the transformation increased her speed, Runeyl doing the same as the potion wore off and her quiver running low on arrows.


    Caineghis then threw some poison potions and exploding potions using his crossbow while Mitsuzane pulled out her ultimate attack, the strongest attack in all of the party.


    “Gravimagnus!” She shouted.


    In an instant she waved her arms throwing purplish like energy to the Gravemaw which slowly made the monster to be squished between gravity itself as the monster then was crushed by gravity. And thus the monster was destroyed.


    After the monster was defeated, Callam then retrieved his spear while Mitsuzane then flopped on the ground completely drained and tired, Mariot clenching her hand as she transformed back into her normal self, and Rurnyl screamed her heart out as she poured water on her eyes.


    “Ahhhhhhh!!!!” Rurnyl and Mariot screamed.


    Turns out using their super abilities has really nasty consequences after use since Mariot stabbed herself with her dagger, the knife completely going through her flesh hand. And Rurnyl basically poured chemicals on her eyes.


    Mitsuzane has a reasonable consequence since it drained all of her magic power and now she had fallen asleep.


    “And quest completed, and now the difficult task, getting everyone back to the guild.” Callam said.


    “Ah crud unfortunately, ahhh heaven’s my foot!” Caineghis yelped, stubbing his toe on a sharp rock. Callam meanwhile strapped Mitsuzane to his back and wrapped a bandage around Mariot’s hand again.


    “Don’t try to be slick and pop that super ability.”


    “I know shhh…it hurts as usual.” She replied clenching her bloodied fist.


    “And once again apply pressure, and Rurnyl you good? It’s been a while since you did that.” Callam asked, Rurnyl sticking her head up from the water.


    “Absolutely.” Before she put it right back in.


    She was not okay. What she did was pour an entire potion of enhancement on her eyes, chemicals and frankly she had her head in a cave lake for minutes already.


    “Yeahhh…this is why I don’t cast magic on myself or drink potions.”


    “And yet you’re the alchemist.”


    “Yes, the alchemist who refuses to drink his own potions and instead to throw them like some bombardier which I am.”


    “Let’s get back to town.”


    “Well alright then, now the worst part.” Marriot mumbled to herself, wrapping one last bandage on her hand.


    “Walking?” Rurnyl replied who returned with a bandage on her eyes.


    “It''s not the end of the world if you can still fly.” Callam replied bluntly.


    “Yeah that’s the worst part.” She replied with a clear irritated face on her.


    Frankly Mariot wasn’t fond of taking the long way even though she flies faster than most average Valkyrens who usually fly at mere 50 miles per hour she goes 80 to a 100 she’s complaining since Mitsuzane was their only way of instantaneous travel and since she used her strongest attack it was likely she’s going to be out for the next day or two.


    Callam then sighed since he dealt with this issue of Mariot complaining about this same situation but since Mariot was technically the second strongest, Callam can’t really complain on what she complains.


    “Alright how about we just get home and I can deal with anything that is bothering you.” Callam complied.


    “Tavern, Ironbrew.”


    Sigh “Of course.”


    “Looks like you’re losing some money today Callam.” Runeyl chuckled as Caineghis helped Callam strap Mitsuzane onto his back.


    “Ahhh, I will unfortunately that is inevitable as the leader of this fine party it is my sole duty to take care of all of the paperwork and needs of all you.” Callam replied as he handed a small healing potion to Runeyl as the group then turned back to the city where the guild is located. Galalank.


    After four arduous days of traveling, the party finally returned to Galalank. After getting a room at the local inn, Callam suggested they go to Mariot''s favorite tavern with the party, saving on expenses since it was just the two of them. Mitsuzane joined them but still recovering from the previous exertion of magic did not drink. Meanwhile, Caineghis stayed in the potions shop to replenish his bomb and potion stock, and Rurnyl was at the blacksmith restocking her arrows.


    At the tavern, Mariot nursed her usual mug of Ironbrew, relishing its strong flavor, while Callam skimmed through the latest newspaper. His brow furrowed as he stumbled upon a noteworthy article.


    "Hey, listen to this," Callam began. "We’ve finally got news about that kingdom helping Elijah."


    Mariot, mid-swig, arched a skeptical eyebrow. "Really? I figured they''d cave and legalize guilds by now. Those elves are just too stuck-up for their own good." She set her empty mug down on the counter. "Server! Another drink!"


    "It''s a relief they''re getting help, though," Mitsuzane added gently. "That war sounded devastating. So many lives lost. any aid must be a blessing."


    Callam nodded and continued reading, but his train of thought was interrupted. "Ugh, this paper''s got a hole in it. Cheap print. Anyway. seems this new ally, the United States of America, is making waves in the Elijah Kingdom. They''re pushing back against. wait, here it is! The Queen might be considering legalizing guilds."


    Mariot sat up straight. "Sounds like an opportunity. Maybe we could snag a big contract there."


    Callam''s expression turned a shade grimmer. "One thing—they don''t exactly love humans."


    "Well, that sounds like a you problem," Mariot quipped, her tone as sharp as the edge of a training sword.


    Callam rolled his eyes. "Wow, thanks for your overwhelming sympathy, Mariot."


    "You''re welcome," she said, feigning sincerity.


    "I was being sarcastic!" he snapped.


    "What''s sarcastic?" Mariot asked, actually baffled.


    Mitsuzane grinned and patiently tried to explain. "When someone says the opposite of what they mean, like to be funny or mean something sharp.


    "Ohhh. yeah. No. I don''t," Mariot confessed with a roll of his shoulder. "Anyway, you think Elijah is the next stop in our kingdom-hopping odyssey?


    Callam threw up a hand in distress. "Perhaps. First, though, we''ve got a contract in Aetheris Spire.


    "Aetheris Spire? That''s my homeworld!" Mariot wings quivered at the thrill.


    "Yep. So enjoy your drink, because we’ve got to head to Mount Falcon soon to catch the pegasus carriages to Zephyrael."


    "The floating continent?" Mitsuzane asked, her eyes wide with wonder.


    "That’s the one," Callam confirmed.


    "Alright," Mariot said, raising her mug. "But I’m getting one more drink."


    Callam sighed. "You owe me fifty gold coins after this."


    Mariot smirked. "Totally worth it."