The next day, Kael woke up to the fading moonlight piercing into his room. Dawn had hardly arrived and the streets were already filled.
Sounds of work and life filled the city that hadn't even been graced by the sun yet.
Merchants could be seen setting up their stalls and preparing for the day's work while community workers cleaned the streets. It wasn't packed, but Kael was still surprised to see so many people roaming the city even before the sun rose.
But none of that concerned him. It was still very early and he had no plans to starve himself of sleep.
He lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. Then a knock sounded on his door.
With a grimace, he got up and went to check who it was. The person kept on knocking, and Kael couldn't help but feel like strangling whoever was behind the door.
"What?" he yelled when he finally opened it.
"I told you we're moving by six," Iris said, tapping on her watch.
Kael rubbed his sleepy eyes. "It's already 6?"
"It's 6:20, you have ten minutes or else the line will get too long and we'll have to wait till tomorrow."
It was then that Kael remembered his class assignment. Reluctantly and quickly, he got himself ready, wearing the dress Iris had purchased for him a day before.
The dress was flamboyant and attracted a lot of attention. Kael didn't like it but Iris wanted him to wear it.
"Are you sure about this?" Kael asked, seated at a table in the restaurant section of the inn.
"Oh, Kael, you don't really plan to wear that crap you brought along, do you?"
His eyes twitched: his clothes may not be the best but calling them crap was quite a stretch.
"Besides, the beast's body parts sold for quite a lot. So, there's no need to act like you're poor."
"Wait, you've already sold it?" Kael peeled his eyes from the menu and stared at her in amazement. To sell such items so fast was a feat he doubted he was capable of.
"Wasn't that hard," she said, swallowing a piece of beef. "Rare items sell fast."
Unable to find anything attractive on the menu, Kael ordered a simple sandwich. The wait wasn't long: after a minute or so the waiter brought it to his table.
Just as the waiter was about to leave Kael stopped him.
"Does anyone named Lucky work here?"
He hadn't been able to get last night's encounter out of his mind. For some reason, he felt that he had been visited by some supernatural entity.
The waiter would most likely not be of any help. But it wouldn't hurt to ask.
"Lucky? She's been working here for over a year. Although she left today to prepare for the Hunter College exam."
The waiter seemed to realize something as he looked at Kael, "Don't tell me you had an encounter with her. I'm really sorry sir, she can be a bit… eccentric at times."
The waiter kept apologizing on Lucky's behalf for whatever it was that she had done.
That was definitely not expected.
He had expected some supernatural entity, but it just turned out to be a girl with mental issues.
Shaking his head, he ate his sandwich and left the restaurant with Iris. Glenda had her own matters to attend to so she didn't follow them.
It didn't take long before they stopped a carriage.
"Where to, both of ya?" The coachman said with a strand of straw stuck between his teeth.
"To the Hunter's guild," Iris replied.
"That's gonna cost ya three dons. Two for the lad and one for you, pretty damsel."
Iris smiled at his remark and paid the fare. They both entered the carriage and found two other people in it. The pair was a mother and son duo, and at a glance, one could tell they had matching DNA.
"Are you two going to the Hunter's guild," the mother asked with a wide smile on her chubby face.
"Yes, but only him," Iris replied, pointing at Kael.
"What a coincidence, my son and I are headed there as well. His name is Jack."
The boy didn't seem so enthusiastic to share information as he kept his chin on the window and peered out of the carriage.
"What of yours?" The lady still had a smile on her face, and it was slowly starting to creep them out.
"Kael," Iris said, trying to maintain a friendly attitude and reciprocating the smile. But hers was stiff and unnatural and she could hardly hold it for much longer.
"Jack, say hi to Kael." But the boy's mind was in the streets of Druti.
Poor Jack didn't expect the sharp knock on his head a second later. He held his head in his arms and grimaced.
"Sorry about that, he can be a little… unruly, at times."
She then turned to the boy and said, "Say hi to Kael."
The boy, still holding his head in his arms, looked at Kael. And immediately Kael knew that he blamed him.
"Hello," poor Jack muttered.
"That's better." His mother smiled. "He just turned 16, and his father is a very…"
Even though the ride was smooth and calm, the presence of this woman—whose name they learned to be Ranny—made it a harrowing experience.
When they finally got to the Hunter guild, her mouth still hadn't stopped moving.
As Kael got down, he could only thank the heavens that he had resisted the urge to mutilate her.
The woman dropped off her son, Jack, who was also going to the guild, before getting on her way. As Kael, Iris, and Jack entered the guild, Kael could only wonder what horrors the boy must be experiencing living with such a woman.
Poor Jack
They got to the reception counter where Iris bought a class assignment slip for Kael. It was just a piece of paper that had a number and a stamp on it.
For something that cost 5000 dons, Kael expected it to be more amusing.
"When you get to the Class Assignment hall, just find a place to sit and wait till your number is called," the receptionist instructed.
Before she left, Iris folded a bundle of one don notes into Kael's hand and whispered, "When you finish up here, head straight to the inn, and even if you like what you see, don't buy anything from the merchants, they'll scam you."
Kael nodded and watched her frame fade away.
Jack also bought a slip, and side by side, they entered the hall.
It was a large area, filled with benches and chairs. There were a lot of people present, mostly children.
Whenever a number was called they would go to the other end and pass through the door.
Kael and Jack sat together, perhaps the fact that they had both survived an encounter with Ranny made it easier for them to get along.
Time passed slowly and soon enough, Kael's number was called.
He took in a deep breath and walked down the aisle towards the door. With his hands on the knob, he twisted it.
Hopefully… It won't disappoint.
[Author's note: Ten power stones and I'll post an extra chapter today.]