《Paragon Pathfinders》


 Chapter 1: A Good Day

    Daniel watched as the countryside passed them by at high speeds as the sound of the rumbling from the train filled his ears. His bright red hair, tied into a high ponytail, and yellow eyes reflected on the glass. His clothing, more fit for a hunter than an urbanite, a wool shirt, with leather armor covering his chest and shoulders.


    Today is his birthday, usually his boss would give him a bonus to do whatever with, but today was different, he called him to visit some people and said that he¡¯ll like them, he never said who they¡¯ll be meeting, a ¡°birthday surprise¡±, he said. Of course, Daniel questioned him, his boss refused to answer though, ¡°it¡¯ll ruin the surprise¡± he said. Daniel sighed, he would have prefered staying at home.


    He hears footsteps approaching his seat slowly, Daniel kept looking out the window however, he already knows who is approaching. A red hand reflected out the window as reaches out before placing down a canned beverage on the table in front of Daniel¡¯s seat, which prompted him to finally look back at the person who gave it.


    What he saw was a red-skinned man, a tiefling, looking back at him with gentle yellow eyes, large keratin horns protruding out of his forehead as it spiraled and pointed forward, and his medium length hair flowing the back of his head. He wore a white and long-sleeved buttoned up shirt with blue flower designs wrapping on the wrist of it, he then wore a black waistcoat on top of it.


    Daniel watched as he sat on the seat beside him, and opened a canned beverage and began drinking, before looking back at the beverage he was given. It was a canned tea, the brand that the man beside him drank right now, also the brand Daniel liked too, it''s the diet version however. He opened the can and began drinking the cold sweet tea. As he gulped down the beverage, an ¡°ahh¡± came out from the man beside him before he continued to speak.


    ¡°You know, I thought it would take you longer to convince you to come to this visit.¡± The tiefling said. Daniel put down his drink, looking back at the man, his boss, El Arcaster.


    ¡°What made you think that?¡± Daniel replied.


    ¡°Well it is your birthday, I thought you might feel bummed out from me bothering you on your birthday.¡± El said.


    ¡°I¡¯d probably bummed out if you also took away my usual bonus during birthdays.¡± Daniel replied. He did get his bonus nonetheless, so he¡¯s not mad at El because he didn¡¯t coerce him into this visit.


    ¡°Even less of a reason for you to come with me.¡± El said. Daniel had to agree slightly, there wasn¡¯t much reason for him to go on this visit, no money on the line, no special item he¡¯s gonna be given, nothing. Daniel took a moment before answering El.


    ¡°You can only do so much at home before it gets boring,¡± Daniel shrugged, ¡°besides, you going on ¡®just a visit¡¯ or the like, never ends up to be anything less than special.¡±


    ¡°I mean, it''s just Joka, nothing you¡¯ve never seen before in Theol.¡± El added.


    Joka, third most populated city in the country, behind Sunland and Theol. This wouldn¡¯t be Daniel¡¯s first visit there, infact, he was born and raised there before moving out, and as his hometown, he had to agree nothing much there that isn¡¯t already in Theol.


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    ¡°One of the world''s best diviners, going somewhere unassuming not expecting something extraordinary to happen?¡± Daniel said. El chuckled at this reply.


    ¡°Well, you got me there.¡±


    Daniel looked at El as we went silent and looked up to the screen at the end of the cabin, seeing how we have minutes left before we reach our destination. El pulled out a phone, Daniel could make out just enough to deduce that he¡¯s ordering a cab. Daniel sighed as he looked back out the window to see what was the countryside becoming the city escapes of Joka.


    The train halted and they walked out of the station, Daniel took a good look at the city around, Joka was just like any other city in Vespucca, a calm atmosphere for a city, barely any cars to pollute the area with noise and gas, and barely any buildings that climb above five stories tall.


    The pair finally found their cab and went to their location, sometimes doing some small talk with the driver to cut the silence. The ride was smooth, good public transit means most people are choosing not to conjest the roads with cars, leading to very light traffic.


    The two finally reach their destination, thanking the driver, the tiefling began walking through the neighborhood as the redhead followed. Coming in this visit, Daniel thought whoever they were visiting was someone super important, a fellow great dungeoneer the likes of Daniel and El, but now that he looks around the friendly looking neighborhood, families biking around, he feels like they¡¯re someone El knows more personally.


    ¡°This is it.¡± El said, looking at the home that is their destination.


    Daniel looked up to the home, a neat two story single family home with a cozy vibe to it. They walked up to the porch of the building and El knocked on the door.


    ¡°Coming!¡± Replied someone in the house, a younger man¡¯s voice.


    A few footsteps could be heard moving closer to the door, followed by a click, before the door finally opened to reveal a young man, around a head shorter than Daniel, with bright red hair tied into a ponytail, black eyes, and wearing round glasses. The young man wore a shirt and some lounge pants tied, a comfortable fit. Daniel thought he looked familiar.


    ¡°Hello.¡± The person said.


    ¡°Hello, are you William Williams?¡± El said to the other red head.


    ¡°Yep, what can I do for you?¡± At that point, Daniel¡¯s eyes widened as he finally realized why he looked familiar.


    ¡°Well, my name is El Arcaster, leader of the Paragon Pathfinders, maybe you¡¯ve heard of us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I have, in the top ten of dungeoneering agencies last time I checked, what¡¯s someone like you got to do with a humble dungeoneer like me?¡±


    ¡°Well, It''s less about what I want, you see, my friend here, it''s his birthday and I thought it would be nice to let him visit one of his favorite people in the word.¡± El answered, making way to let William see Daniel more clearly.


    ¡°Oh really, I really doubt I¡¯m famous enough to have fans.¡± William chuckled as El moved to the side, finally seeing the taller man looking at him with wide eyes, it took William a moment to realize who it was. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Daniel replied awkwardly, ¡°it''s been a while.¡±


    Before Daniel knew it, William already had his arms wrapped around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. ¡°Yes, yes it has.¡± He said, muffled into the man¡¯s chest, sounding like he¡¯s on the verge of tears.


    Daniel replied to the hug by embracing his little brother closer, closing his eyes as he felt him in his arms again for nine years. He dreamed of this day countless times, to see his brother, to hold him, and today, those dreams are a reality. The brothers hugged it out for minutes, both of them laughing and crying, savoring this moment.


    They finally pulled away, wiping their eyes of the tears, looking back at each other, the happiest smiles on their faces.


    ¡°Come in, I¡¯ll prepare some tea for us.¡± William said as he walked inside.


    Daniel nodded in reply, before looking at El who was sitting on a chair on the porch, looking up to him. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    El smiled. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, now get in there.¡± He gestured Daniel to go inside, as he stood up to walk in as well.

 Chapter 2: Reunion

    As they entered the home, taking off their shoes near the entrance, Daniel would take note of the furnishing of the place. It was very cozy, the living room had a carpet, cream-colored couches facing a cabinet with a TV, and a coffee table. Around the room, cabinets and shelves are placed around, on top of them, framed pictures that caught Daniel¡¯s interests. Now facing to the side, he would see the dining table, six chairs on it.


    Daniel watched as William prepared some tea, placing down a few mugs on the dinner table which El sat at. He used the time to walk around the room. He walked up to a cabinet and bent down to look closer at the framed picture placed on it. The first one he saw was of him and his siblings, the three of them, smiling, throwing up peace signs, him, the tallest bending down to get into frame, William looking down to look into the camera, and finally the youngest of the siblings, Belle, who was taking the picture, her hair also bright red tied into two short twintails, winking at the camera. The picture brought him back, where he was at his happiest, him and his family, together.


    Daniel reminisces a bit before looking at the adjacent picture, the contents of it stumped him. It had William, sitting on a park bench, Ice cream in hand looking at the camera. But what stumped Daniel was the one adjacent to him, a child, medium length wavy blonde hair, wearing a purple shirt, they also looked at the camera and had a ice cream cone in hand, and seemingly mid lick. Daniel could have maybe rationalized the picture as some friend kid they helped, but would a person like that be important enough to William to take a picture with and frame it up? Daniel would assume the more likely answer, this is probably his nephew.


    Looking at other pictures, it would be lined with pictures of William and Belle, William and the blonde haired kid, or all three of them. There were pictures in amusement parks, pictures with animals, in random locations. The more he saw, it made him realize how much of his siblings lives he had missed, it made him feel really bad.


    ¡°Tea¡¯s ready!¡± William said from the kitchen, walking over with a jug to the dining table. Daniel walked over and sat at the table as William poured out tea onto the mugs, placing the jug down as he took one of the canisters on the table, and put some sugar into his tea, to which El and Daniel followed suit, Daniel having two teaspoons and El doing three. They all sipped their tea before William started talking.


    ¡°So, you work as a dungeoneer too?¡± William asked Daniel, pointing to the two swords that was sheathed at his hip.


    ¡°For the past six years now, you?¡± Daniel answered.


    ¡°Five years, doing it since I was nineteen.¡± William answered.


    ¡°Wait, you didn¡¯t go to college?¡± Daniel questioned, slightly concerned.


    ¡°Did. Dropped out though.¡± William explained.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t for me, college was stressful.¡±


    ¡°And risking your life clearing dungeons isn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I know, but at least it''s more exciting, plus back then, I heard you can get paid well with this job, and look¡± he gestures around the house, ¡°I did get paid well, so it''s mostly a win for me.¡±


    Daniel can¡¯t deny that this job was well paying, but there was a sense of dread knowing his little brother was risking his life for that money, there is also a sense of pride with the fact that his brother was at least good enough to keep up with the dungeons.


    ¡°Hey can I look at your swords?¡± William said, pointing at the two that were sheathed at Daniel''s hip.


    ¡°Oh, sure.¡± Daniel pulled out the swords along with its sheath, handing it over to William, in which William picked it up and unsheathed it.


    When the blade was unsheathed, the water vapors around it condensed and the blade froze the water that touched it. It is apparent that the blade was very cold.


    ¡°Whoa.¡± William reacted.


    ¡°A frost weapon, it''s a really good magic weapon.¡± Daniel chimed in.


    ¡°How did you get it?¡± William asked Daniel.


    ¡°El gave it to me, it was part of the signing bonus.¡± Daniel said, taking a glance over to El, the tiefling just smiled at the comment. Daniel looked back at William who was still in awe at the simple magic blade.


    ¡°This stuff is pretty hard to get, even if I got one during dungeoneering, the agency takes them to sell or give to, as they say, ¡®more fitting individuals¡¯.¡± The shorter red-head said, the last part with a mocking tone.


    El chuckled at the statement while Daniel frowned a bit. Daniel remembers when he was in an agency like those, larger organizations means magic items get spread thin, leaving a lot of people unable to obtain one, unfortunate as that limits the level of dungeons they can delve into.


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    ¡°I wanted to buy one but¡­ you know.¡± William continued.


    ¡°Auctions.¡± Daniel answered in an exasperated tone. The only other option was buying one, and unfortunately, the ones that are usable in combat are only auctioned off, and due to the high demand, the magic items can get quite expensive.


    A knock on the door would interrupt their conversation, making everyone in the room look towards the entryway. William¡¯s eyes seem to have a sparkle to them as he excitedly jumps out of his seat.


    ¡°That must be them, can¡¯t wait for their reaction when they see you.¡± He says as he walks towards the front door.


    As they walked out of view, Daniel tried to guess who would make William excited enough to look like that, he looked to El as if he knew the answer, only to be given a shrug before he took a sip of his tea, Daniel really didn¡¯t know what he expected doing that.


    ¡°Come in, come in, you won¡¯t believe who just visited us, you guys are gonna love him.¡± William¡¯s excited voice came from the entrance, Daniel still unable to see who he spoke to as the were just around the corner.


    ¡°Slow down, let us take off our shoes first.¡± A feminine voice replied.


    A few sounds of footsteps later and Daniel sees his brother round the corner with someone sticking to his leg, before another person rounds the corner. As just a tad shorter than William, her red hair, tied into twintails, with her red eyes locking onto him, It was Belle. It took a moment to register as the youngest.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± Belle ran up to him. Daniel stands up quickly to brace for what is about to come as Belle jumps at him and wraps her arms around his neck. Daniel catches and lifts his little sister, laughing, spinning her around, trying not to fall. Belle¡¯s feet hit the ground and she looks his oldest brother¡¯s face.


    ¡°It''s good to see you again, how have you been?¡± Daniel asks his little sister.


    ¡°Good, better in fact, knowing you¡¯re alive.¡± Belle answers, which made Daniel chuckle.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Daniel puts a hand on her head, ¡°you¡¯ve grown tall.¡± Daniel remembers when Belle was around half of his height, now they¡¯re just a head shorter.


    ¡°And you¡¯re just as tall as ever, geez, and here I thought we actually caught up, did you grow taller or something?¡± Belle joked. Daniel has always been the tallest of the three, taller than their parents too.


    ¡°I guess I did a little, but enough with my height, what have you been doing?¡± Daniel asked Belle.


    ¡°Oh you know, odd jobs here and there, helping William take care of Astari.¡± The younger answers, which elicits an eyebrow raise from the eldest.


    ¡°Astari?¡± He said.


    ¡°Oh right! Good time to introduce you to him.¡± William spoke up, to which Daniel sees him say something quietly to the kid sticking to his leg, it was the same blonde haired child from the photos.


    The kid shimmies a bit to the side just enough for Daniel to see him fully. William took a knee and comforted him by putting a hand around the kid¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Daniel, meet Astari Astaris, my son.¡± William states.


    Daniel was taken aback by the statement. Despite already guessing this from the pictures, he¡¯s still very shocked. His little brother already had a son. This caused him to have so many questions pass through his head, but none of them he vocalizes as he walks towards them, Astari looks up to his uncle with curious eyes as he approaches. Daniel knelt down to Astari¡¯s level, slowly reaching his hands to the child¡¯s face and softly pinching his cheeks. Astari groaned and pulled away from Daniel¡¯s hands, a look of frustration on his face.


    ¡°Oops, sorry, couldn¡¯t resist.¡± Daniel laughed it off, before reaching over to shake the kid¡¯s hand. ¡°Hey, my name¡¯s Daniel, nice to meet you.¡±


    Astari looked at Daniel¡¯s hand, then to his father, waiting for a go ahead. William looked at his son, nodding. Astari looked back at his uncle, reaching to shake the eldest of the siblings¡¯ hand. The two shook hands for a bit, before Belle interjects.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the other one?¡± She says, looking at El.


    ¡°Name¡¯s El Arcaster, leader of the Paragon Pathfinders, also, Daniel¡¯s employer.¡± El answers.


    ¡°Hmm? Never seen a boss be so into their employees'' personal lives.¡± Belle comments, to which El just laughs.


    ¡°My agency is relatively small, so it allows me to get more familiar with my employees without spreading myself thin.¡± El elaborates.


    ¡°Small? No way an agency like yours is small.¡± William questioned, his knowledge of dungeoneering agencies is that it usually means that more dungeoneers in one, the more successful they are, so El saying his¡¯ is small is quite a statement.


    ¡°Common knowledge would say being successful means otherwise, yes, but our agency has less than thirty members, you can ask Daniel to confirm that.¡± The tiefling elaborated.


    The siblings look at their brother, to which Daniel only responds with a shrug, and then they look back to El sipping down the tea and then pouring more into his mug.


    ¡°Well anyway, let''s all have a seat, we have a lot of catching up to do.¡± William says, as he stood up and walked with Astari to the dinner table.


    The family began talking about their experiences. William talked about the fun times he had going places like the park and carnivals with Astari, his time slaying a few monsters in dungeons, and even his journey into buying a house. Belle tells stories about mostly getting into and winning fights, which frightened Daniel, but it relaxes him slightly because she never got into any further trouble with the law, or her school, speaking of which, she went to a vocational school, and graduated earlier this year.


    Daniel barely told any stories, mostly commenting on his siblings'' stories. El and Astari stayed silent. El fidgets around with his magic, doing little magic tricks, and making small sparks and minor illusions. Astari distracted himself by watching El doing his little tricks, which El noticed and started deliberately doing more impressive magic to entertain the child.


    The family talked for hours.


    ¡°Sorry to bother you three but it''s getting dark, and I kind of have more on my agenda today.¡± El said after so long.


    ¡°Oh, I see, well, it was fun while-¡± Daniel wanted to finish but El interjected.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry Daniel, you can stay here as long as you like, it''s your birthday after all, unless your siblings here have a problem of course.¡± The tiefling said.


    ¡°Oh no, not at all, I have a spare room, don¡¯t worry about it Daniel.¡± The younger brother said.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, more time for you siblings, I¡¯ll be staying at a hotel however, I don''t want to bother any of your bonding.¡± The diviner said, before clasping his hands. ¡°So, onto my next agenda.¡±


    El snapped his fingers and papers began flying out of his bag and laid down neatly onto the dining table.


    ¡°I would like both of you, William Williams and Belle Bells, to be part of the Paragon Pathfinders.¡±