Dark Energy by carlsojos

Chapter 54

Hey! Please keep your fist fights in the bar area! The receptionist is busy breaking up a drunken brawl as I made my way into the guild alone. I glance at my friends waiting outside. She rushes behind the counter as I step up. Hello. Hunter Ashley, right? Where's the other two?

Etirn got hospitalized for helping a group of people at a dig nearby, and Blades is cleaning up a little mess for me in Termi. I'm here for the bounty on Professor Landiet.

The receptionist pulls a large wad of money from the safe. I have it right here, 5,000 meseta. Good work. I count out the money and stick it in my jacket pocket. It's good to have a little spending cash. Also, I got a couple more jobs that nobody else seems to want. I could fill you in, if you'd like.

Thanks, but I'm on a time crunch at the moment.

Alright, I won't keep you. Do come back if you change your mind.

I return to the Land Rover and find my headset sitting on the control panel, alive with conversation. ...sity. Could you repeat the status on Professor Landiet?

The warrant is reported as executed, vouched for by a Micheal Hernandez of Termi. The members who executed the warrant are Hunter Ashley and Hunter Blades. The bounty has already been collected.

Could you specify the full names of the hunters?

Uh... Ray 'Blades' Calant and Marika Ashley.

Sophmore Marika Ashley?

When she applied, she mentioned in her occupational history that she was a student....

The radio goes silent. I could feel myself in a cold sweat. I think I'm in trouble now.

Jeetoh pulls out a fortune cookie saying. A secret can be hidden, but it never disappears.

Thank you Kadary. Outerbeast 5, please send Sophmore Ashley to the principal in Piata, as soon as possible. Any delay will not be acceptable. End of Transmission.

Demi notes my expression. You seem nervous, Marika.

I don't know what's gonna happen to me now, but it's likely bad. I think I can kiss my life as a student goodbye.

Why's that?

I guess I can share secrets among friends. The first person who I talked to when I left the desert was the principal. He seemed to understand that I was an orphan, and had a dorm room arranged for me. Even bought a fresh set of clothes for me, since I was wearing rags at the time. We started talking, and it led into how I wanted to learn why I was me. He offered to get the admissions office to let me in, and paid for my tuition out of his own pocket.

I think that he felt I would become a scholar and follow in his footsteps. Granted, I didn't exactly have anything else planned for my life, so I didn't stop him from thinking. I pause to glance at my friends. But now, I have more important things that I need to do right now. I'm pretty sure that won't matter to him, though. I look at Dora for advice. I know she works with the principal a lot.

I suggest that we don't delay. The longer we are away, the worse it gets, Marika.

That's all the advice I need. Demi, go ahead and follow me to Piata.

Next chapter

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