A magic circle spread from the point of contact, expanding in front of Big Mouth. Earth swirled up and twisted, shaping itself into a humanoid figure. Then, the textures and colors changed. The resulting construct looked like a twisted amalgamation of bone and flesh. The body had no distinct head or torso. The three segments gave it an insectoid appearance. Two limbs grew out of each section, and each broke into a trio of bony, clawed fingers.

The segments rotated, and the limbs stretched. It rose from the ground, standing on four limbs. The claws on the other two twisted around each other, forming ugly spikes. Then, it charged at Lukas without warning.

“Don’t hold back,” the teenager called. “She won’t.”

That thing is a girl?

“Frar.”

A shiver ran down Lukas’s spine as his natural magic entangled with the sword’s arcane stores. The creature’s approach slowed, and his feet responded just in time. The enchantment’s effects hit him like a punch to the gut this time, the enhanced senses not so pleasant a second time around.

Longer break between uses. Got it.

He clumsily rotated out of the golem’s charge. Lukas’s feet struggled to move in the exact same way as his old body did in his memories. The golem swiftly corrected its path and continued its pursuit, lunging at him. The rear four limbs pushed off the ground while the front two sliced inwards like a pair of twisted scythes. Lukas threw up his sword as he dove out of the way.

One limb missed. The other clashed with his weapon. The impact sent tremors down the limb, up his shoulder, and down the spine. Despite its sleek and slender appearance, the creature’s attacks had significant weight behind them, and it wasn’t lacking in power.

No more blocking. Deflections and dodges only.

It was tempting to go on the offensive, but Lukas held himself back. The golem didn’t come across a foe who had a wary or defensive side. Its movements and aggression suggested the summoner intended for it to attack relentlessly. The only reason it didn’t come from him straight away was because its master was holding it back. He could see the teenager’s narrowed eyes, clenched jaw, and muttering out of the corner of his eye. It wasn’t a look of rage but intense concentration.

Lukas stood straight, brought his feet together, and held his off arm behind his waist. It was a position he had taken countless times before duels. He brought the blade to his lips in a mock salute and whispered, “Bryna.”

The sword hummed in his grip, vibrating like a struck tuning fork. Magic stores dropped to a third as the enchantment drew from the sword’s socketed gem. It pulled on Lukas’s energy harder, and he released a trickle just as the golem charged.

Don’t let me down now.

A sidestep got him out of the incoming lunges' way, and he launched a counter-strike at the rear limbs. The blade made contact, severing a leg just below the knee joint.

The golem stumbled when it landed, falling onto all six for a moment. The spike-like forelimbs dug into the sand. Then, it reversed itself, intact limbs becoming legs and the damaged ones becoming one of the new arms. The new top segment spun, and the spike-like forelimbs seemed to blur as it lunged again. Lukas spun out of the way, more surefooted than last time, but the relentless attacker came at him again, targeting his back.

Instead of trying to dodge, Lukas poured the centrifugal of his spin into a defensive slash. The golem had too much weight and power behind it, and the sword failed to change its path. Its top segment struck Lukas’s shoulder and knocked him off balance. However, neither spike struck him. Instead, only short stumps remained of them. The sword had successfully sliced through both bony extensions.

The golem’s top section fell off, and it rushed at Lukas’s supine form on its remaining intact limbs.

“That’s enough!” Davros called, and it froze just short of Lukas. He didn’t have the time to rise and only managed to throw up a clumsy guard. The vice-captain and the golemancer’s companion rushed to his aid, vials of ruby liquid in hand. “Are you hurt?”

“Bruised maybe,” Lukas answered, groaning as he climbed onto his feet. He rubbed his shoulder where the golem had struck. Nothing felt broken. “But otherwise, fine.” He wanted to curse out all three of them for the terrifying test and the golem’s potentially maiming attacks but contained himself. He needed the guild and wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. They likely had a healer on staff to fix injuries, and now that he had a closer look, the clawed digits weren’t as sharp or hard as they initially seemed. “Did I pass?”

“With flying colors. You lack skills, but the instincts are all there.” Davros smiled. He gave Lukas a once over without invitation. He pricked Lukas with a fingernail, drawing a wince. A clear fluid leaked out, and with it went the aching in his joints and muscles. Only the discomfort in his shoulder remained.

That wasn’t healing. Did he just suck the lactic acid out of me?

“Good show.” The teenager nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. Veins bulged on his forehead. It seemed he had pushed himself. Lukas believed it was more to restrict than push the golem. “I knew you weren’t just another scrub.” He kneeled next to his construct, still frozen in the same position as when combat ended. “Clean cuts through the bone. There aren’t a lot of normal swords or sword techniques that can pull that off.”

“It’s mostly the shard and the little experience I picked up escaping the Wyrmkin,” Lukas lied. He hadn’t expected the sharpening enchantment to be so potent. “Honestly, I’m surprised that it went so well. I was sure I was going to lose a hand back there, if not more.”

“I’d never have let that happen,” the golemancer replied. “She would’ve stopped, or I would’ve dissolved her arms.”

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

“We’re not here to force details regarding your past,” the young woman said. “A guild is a bunch of like-minded people who like to train and work together. You don’t owe us any secrets.”

Davros nodded. “You might lack skill, but react to situations like the veteran of countless battles. I don’t know if surviving one Wyrmkin raid is enough to develop that level of competency. But we won’t pry. It won’t take much to turn you into a half-decent fighter.”

“Footwork and a couple of unarmed techniques from me and a decent shortsword style, and you’ll be golden.” It was the martial arts trainer. Lukas hadn’t heard her wander over. Even now, as she approached, the woman seemed to glide more than step. “Assuming you join after this craziness, though.” She glared at Davros and the teenager. “I don’t know why you can’t do normal physical and magic tests like the other guilds. We’d attract quality talent instead of lucking upon them.”

“How else will we squash rumors like the Shadow Seekers accept just about anybody?” Davros grinned. “A fight where the examinee believes their life might be in genuine danger is perhaps the best possible test.” He placed a hand on Lukas’s shoulder. “We learned some valuable truths about young Mr Zaun here, far more than he wrote down or told us.” Davros returned his attention to Lukas. “Should we head inside? Paperwork. Provisional licenses. They won’t take too long.”

“Of course.”

The process was quick, as promised. Davros continued to casually question Lukas while the receptionist did the paperwork. She looked over the documents granted by the city guard. Guild membership was conditional permission to reside in Iskander or the many neighboring settlements. Both the reception and Davros raised an eyebrow on reading through Stefan’s letter of recommendation. He laughed. She rolled her eyes.

“You’ll fit right in,” she commented, aggressively stamping the documents with the guild chapter’s seal.

Once the receptionist finished her part of the job, she passed the stack to Davros. He looked everything over before signing them. Finally, Lukas reviewed them and signed too. It was all straightforward, and he felt no alien magic entangling with his. It was a perfectly mundane document. Afterward, the receptionist divided it into three piles.

“One for you. One for us to keep. Another will go to the Gray and then Schwarzberg’s capital to guild headquarters.” Davros grabbed a hand-sized rectangular from the wall, his arm stretching inhumanely far. “An updated members list goes out every season, so thieves and murderers can’t claim your badge as their own.”

“That’s convenient,” Lukas commented while the receptionist rolled and tied all three copies. Wax seals followed. She handed him one before departing with the rest. “What now? Can I access trainers and the undercity now?”

Davros nodded. “All trainers are now available to you, assuming they’ll have you, of course. They’re volunteering time for the betterment of the guild, so we can’t exactly force them to teach you. Only our general combat trainer is on retainer, and he’s good, but you probably need more specialized training.” He opened the box, revealing a black badge. It appeared made of charred wood and then dipped in resin. “We have exclusive guild merchants and craftsmen. They acquire, purchase, and produce at excellent price points. But they’re only available to full members.”

Davros slid the badge across the table. It fit snugly in Lukas’s palm. The details on the carved wood were much finer on closer inspection and would likely prove challenging to copy. Arcane Clone successfully created copies of almost everything he wore. Lukas had failed to create copies of his weapons or wallet. However, belt buckles, metal buttons, and the badge suffered from no such limitations. He hoped it would be the same for the guild badge.

“Try not to lose this,” Davros continued. “It will grant you access to the undercity and guildhouses, and all guild affiliates will check it to ensure you’re one of us. Once you’re a full member, we’ll change it for an iron badge.”

“And the material changes with every rank?” Lukas asked.

“Why would we do that?” Davros frowned. “The design and detail of the metalwork changes, but the material doesn’t unless you’re a chapter leader or vice leader.” He tapped his badge, which sat pinned to his chest just below the collar. It looked the same as Lukas’s but was obviously made of metal. The edges also had shiny, silvery accents. “Members often turn these into lockets and bracelets, but they still go missing far too often. Using expensive materials isn’t smart or cost-effective.”

Lukas studied his badge closely. A tiny one sat in the corner. “Tier-one member. I’m assuming?”

“It will let you claim any jobs with the same designation from the walls around reception. A lot of the guild taverns and markets also have job boards that you can claim. We like it when members do the latter. It helps improve our standing is great for the guild’s reputation. I like to advise members to always check the public boards before heading into the undercity. There are often easy requests that don’t demand a lot of work or going out of one’s way.” Davros sighed. “It falls on deaf ears more than often, though.”

The guild had rules regarding how many jobs one could take. Lukas asked the receptionist for assistance picking one for someone who had never been to the undercity. She still looked annoyed and sighed a lot but seemed less abrasive now that the guild had accepted him. Instead of a combat test, she insisted he retrieve giant cave spider eggs for the guild’s alchemist. The pay wasn’t great, but apparently, it was reasonably safe for someone who didn’t know the lay of the land. There was also the chance of him receiving free products from the artisan, depending on the material quality, of course.

El-One and El-Two had instructions to dispel themselves after finishing shifts at the smithy or running packages. Lukas didn’t want them sitting around with the fruits of all their labors. The physical bonuses weren’t instant, but he often felt them in the morning. Information regarding Penelope and her jobs was also valuable. She seemed genuine thus far and didn’t seem to have figured out the contract issues yet.

When a clone dispelled himself after flirting and working with Kat all morning, Lukas had a decision to make: stay in hiding or return to the better of the two inns. After lunch and much thought, he resummoned El-One without any empowerment. He needed to look identical to Lukas and perform just as well.

“I want you hanging out and training at the Shadow Seekers,” Lukas said, even though the clone knew what was expected of him. “I’d like you to train with the martial artist and look out for a sword trainer who’ll have you. We want someone who specializes in quick strikes, ripostes, and counters.”

“You mean a duelist, boss?”

“That’s right, smart ass. Eventually, I’ll get you a shield as well. We need to know how to fight defensively so you can protect me in fights.”

“So, we get hurt and do all the hard stuff so you can stand back, be lazy, and do your fancy magic shit,” El-One’s tone was almost mocking.

“When have things been any different?” Lukas asked, laughing. “Meatshields need to meatshields. More importantly, I intend for all of us to head out into the world solo as well. Deal with other states. Find essences and shards. Take over the world. Sword and board is a good start for that, especially while we’re all weak and skinny.”

“And then branch into something with reach. Right, boss?”

“Right. First, we learn to survive. Then, we master killing.”

“Killing is the easy bit, El-Prime.” The clone grinned. “We’re good at that.” He hesitated just as he was about to run off. “Can I borrow the sword? We need it to convince them of your lie.”

“No. I don’t think they believed me anyway. Find a sword trainer first. Then, we’ll figure out who gets what. If you’re lucky the loot bag has something you can use.”

“We already know that it’s not going to be me.” El-One sighed, acting dejected, before he sped off.