Night Raven, Midland


    The authorities restrained Seshwan. Along with him Xerxes was bound and chained. The market flooded with guards and concerned people who had heard the commotion.


    "They provoked my companion. Release us!" Seshwan demanded as he was clasped in a set of irons.


    A guard approached, "That monster is a demon hybrid and is too dangerous to allow to freely roam the cities."


    All the guards had faces of terror as they tried their best to stay composed in the presence of a beast like Xerxes.


    ''This is bad, I need to think of something.'' Seshwan panicked. ''If Xerxes wakes up like this, he will kill more people to prevent being captured.''


    "That monster is a member of my guild! We have a contract to kill Silver Moon bandits from the Midland Traders." Seshwan said.


    The guards pulled Seshwan up from the dirt to allow him to explain.


    "Bullshit! What''s your guild name?" The guard in charge questioned. His disbelief of Seshwan''s lie showed in every angry line of his face.


    "Titan... Sol. It''s Titan Sol, we''re an adventurer’s guild. It''s not uncommon for a guild like ours to take on kill quests from merchants, is it?" Seshwan lied again.


    The guards pondered a moment. It was common that a merchant guild would hire extra mercenaries to handle bandits in the area. This demon had only killed the bandits.


    "Well will need to verify the contract with the merchant’s guild." The lead guard scoffed. The guards escorted Seshwan toward the building he had just left moments before.


    Entering the hall in irons, Seshwan looked toward Diana, who was currently filling out documents.


    "Clerk!" The guard shouted as he entered. "This man claimed you issued a kill quest to him and his guild to kill bandits. This led to the destruction of several stalls in the market and five dead men."


    Diana looked at Seshwan as she felt a warm hum in her ear. Seshwan''s voice spoke in her ear. "I need you to lie to these guys, please!"


    "Yes sir, the order was for rogue bandits around the city. We asked they be removed by any means. Though they will pay a penalty for damages to the stalls and a fine to the city for any mess they made." Diana explained smiling cheerfully.


    "If that''s the case, well alright." The guards seemed to believe this innocent girl. Except one.


    "What was the guild’s name you issued the quest to?" The guard asked.


    "The paperwork was handled by another clerk I''m not sure. Let''s see if I can find it." Diana said.


    She could feel cold sweat starting on her skin. The question had caught her off guard.


    Again, Seshwan spoke in her inner ear. "Lift a piece of paper, don''t show them and say it was Titan Sol."


    After a few moments of believable rummaging, Diana slid a piece of paper out of the desk.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Here''s the order," Diana said, she presented the order to the lead Guard.


    [Rogue bandits in Night Raven;]


    [Faction: Silver moon]


    [200 Denarii for each removed]


    [Contract status: open]


    "This is an open contract." The guard said, confused. This didn''t help at all.


    "It is indeed an open contract to kill silver moon bandits. One was issued to every guild registered with us. It''s common knowledge. The adventurer’s guild Titan Sol is permitted like any others to fill this contract." Diana said confidently. She crossed her arms across her chest as she stared at the guards.


    "Are you guys going to release me? " Seshwan said looking at the guards, enjoying their shocked faces.


    Moments later Seshwan was released, Xerxes was moved to the guild hall and Vanessa came too. The three sat in front of Diana''s clerk''s desk.


    "So you three make up the guild Titan Sol? I kind of expected more." Diana said.


    Vanessa rubbed her temples trying to clear her head. "This is not how I wanted to start the day." She groaned.


    "Diana, could you register our guild with the merchants to make it official? We need to get on our way to Lynwood." Seshwan asked


    "I can but are you sure about the name? Most would go with something that stands out more. Here''s a list of available ones." Diana said. Presenting the list to Seshwan, she read off suggested names.


    "White gold dogma"


    "No"


    "Black-winged leopards"


    "No"


    "Hmm... how about, Dynamic Heavenly Dragons? DHD?"


    Xerxes came to during the reading, surprised to be sitting in a chair. He had heard the last guild name. It was so bad; he had been woken up from his unconscious state at the mention of the name.


    "That''s a terrible name." He quickly snapped.


    "Okay. No need to be rude."


    "Girly, I just got thrust awake by the mere mention of the name. It''s worth being rude." Xerxes said while rubbing his temples.


    "How is Titan Sol any better?" Diana asked, dejected by Xerxes'' outburst.


    "It isn''t." Vanessa and Xerxes both said in unison.


    "Why can''t we be Blue Lotus?" Vanessa asked.


    "It makes people think you''re affiliated with Black Lotus."


    The three exchanged glances. All smirked then continued thinking.


    "Okay. Here''s my reasoning for the name Titan Sol. I aim to become a colossus power someday. So, ‘Titan’ is fitting. The ‘Sol’ portion comes from the ancient dragon which helped to liberate the people from the oppression of the gods and dragonkin. The dragon of the east, the dragon of new beginnings." Seshwan explained.


    "It''s still stupid."


    "Ughhhhh.  You’re such a pain." Seshwan groaned.


    "You know Seshwan''s description needs work, but it''s not bad. I don''t mind it so much" Vanessa spoke up.


    "Two out of three’s not bad. Fine, I don''t care. It''s only for a while longer anyway." Xerxes said, finally giving in to Seshwan.


    "Okay then to the guild Titan Sol, we issue an escort quest. Escort the goods to Lynwood along with the trades. Please sign." Diana said while presenting the contract to Seshwan.


    "Who said he was guild leader?" Xerxes asked a Cheshire grin across his face.


    "Xerxes, I''ll let you sign and next time you kill people in town and pass out, I''ll let the guards exorcise your demon half. How''s that sound?" Seshwan said with a friendly smile.


    "Fiiiinnnneee. You can be the leader. If I get to kill stuff, I don''t care." Xerxes resigned.


    “It’s all set, but I’ll need a full signature to validate the form and a card of validation, to show the guild master has some level of essence. Come over here to test your essence.” Diana explained, motioning to a pedestal machine with a test crystal embedded in the top.


    Seshwan gladly walked over, and with his hand hovering above the crystal he activated his earth essence. The crystal ignited into a brilliant light, the crystal began to shine with a heavenly lustre. After the test a card printed out of the machine.


    “Okay the test is complete, let’s see your results,” Diana said, taking hold of the card.


    She read the card details. But her excited expression quickly turned to disgust.


    “Seshwan follow me a moment,” Diana said with a grave expression on her face.


    “Okay,” Seshwan replied, as he got up and followed Diana into a side room.


    Within the tiny meeting room, which was more like a broom closet, Diana closed the door and stared at Seshwan.


    “What’s wrong?” Seshwan asked.


    “You’ve been lying to me! Your name is not Seshwan at all, is it?”


    “Why would you ask something like that?”


    “That machine reads your genetics as well as your essence, it’s the latest model from Solstice Academy. It says your genes match almost perfectly with Tiberius Jade; the emperor of the Jade empire. Are you one of his sons? No way he would name one of his royal sons something like Seshwan.” Diana asked while glaring at Seshwan.


    He sighed. “You’re right, I am Tiberius Jade the third, son of the current ruling emperor. Though I was exiled and no longer considered a son of the empire. I’ve renounced the empire and all ties I held with them. Miss Diana, I''d appreciate it if you just call me Seshwan for now and don’t tell my companions. If it requires I sign with my full name I ask you to allow me to sign it and keep this a secret.” Seshwan explained.


    “The Jade family is an oppressive and abusive ruling power. You think I’d help you?” Diana said tears became heavy in her eyes.


    “I’m not like my family, and I am not one of them! Please assist me with this. I need you so that I may take my revenge one day.” Seshwan said, his fist clenched tight.


    Diana could see that Seshwan had suffered as well at the hands of his own family. He was kind to her, even though she fully wished to vent her grief, she swallowed the lump in her throat.


    “Okay Seshwan, only if you plan to get back at them one day. Give the bastard Quintus a blow for me, would you?” Diana said, a smile back on her face.


    “Quintus?! You got it.”


    “Then allow me to sort your paperwork. And get you on your way.”


    “Thank you, Diana.”


    Diana finished up the paperwork and finished the escort mission documents. Titan Sol was now a registered guild under their new master Seshwan, The Exiled.


    “Seshwan the Exiled? What does that mean?” Vanessa asked.


    “Not sure. Diana said I need a last name or title for the document so I told her to add one.” Seshwan lied, cursing Diana for making it plain and obvious that he had a secret.


    All Seshwan could do was laugh it off as they left the guild hall.