Garden Of The Abyss

"They're close to the border," he said, drawing his blade, "--if they touch even a single blade of grass, we're not getting paid."

"They won't," Iris responded confidently before gathering her breath, holding her staff outwards, "Hyperion: Bound Gate!"

Once more, her words gave rise to a barrier of light that stood at the border of the plains and barren wasteland, kicking up a cloud of dust in its awakening, preventing the group of fire-formed slimes from pushing further.

As they bounced off of the wall of light, their attention shifted to the adventurers behind.

"That's right," he smiled, "eyes on me."

They aren't exactly dangerous, in the conventional sense, that is. However, what most people don't know–and what leads to fire slimes being one of the most lethal of their species–is that they explode after being killed, he thought.

Without stepping a single stride further, he flipped his blade between his fingers before swiping it a few times in what looked like a singular motion.

–One.

–Two.

–Three.

–Four.

–Five.

Not a word had to be spoken, not for the spell he had mastered over the passing years.

Propelling forth, cuts of condensed darkness cut through the flaming slimes, resulting in a chain explosion that was quickly contained by another barrier by Iris, keeping the volatile reach within the bounds of light.

"Nice!"

Withdrawing the quest paper from his pocket, the magical parchment was inscribed with a mark of confirmation for the quest being complete. It was an enchantment put on each quest that recognized the completion of the task–though it was an automatic process, foundation receptionists tended to monitor the process as well.

"I guess the real issue was this weather…" He wiped the sweat from his forehead as he looked up at the sun.

"That just means the bath will be that much more relieving," Iris told him, turning back, "let's head home."

Is she offering to bathe with me…? No, no…I don't think we're quite there yet, Ren, he thought.

"Hopefully Akshay made some progress on his recruitment," he muttered as they began walking together, "still…I'm glad we got this done."

"I told you we'd be fine!" Iris smiled in return, meeting him halfway for a high-five.

And again, she jinxed us, he thought.

–Surfacing from the lifeless, cracked soil, what rose from the depths of the barren land wasn't a squishy, bulbous slime, but something much more troublesome.

It was a leviathan of an arachnid; armored by a steel-like, black-and-red exoskeleton as it displayed two, forefront pincers and a curled tail that bore a fearsome stinger at its end.

"A scorpion…?!" He yelled out, raising his arm to block the pelting sand.

"That's a "Death-Stinger Predator"! Watch out for that stinger, Ren–it's poisonous!" She warned.

After a long day, having ventured into the heat of the Stretch, the two returned to the Hollow Foundation, and subsequently, to their guild sector.

"Phew…" He flopped down on the couch.

Iris frowned a bit, "You shouldn't lay on the couch right after a mission…go take a bath first."

Though he wanted to contest her words as the embrace of the cushions below was far too comforting, he begrudgingly hopped back to his feet as he made his way to the bathing quarters of the sector.

Unfortunately, not that it was an issue with just four members at the moment, their own rooms didn't come with private bathrooms–which meant there were two to be shared.

Unlike the lobby of the guild's sector, the bathhouse was inhabited by light tiles of quartz, giving the place of cleanliness a pure atmosphere.

I guess it's one of those things that once that becomes a problem, I'll already be doing well, right? He thought.

Stripping his layers of garment, he removed his heavy, sweat-clad, black armor as the bath filled itself with water of just the right heat.

Even in a different world, sinking into the warmth of a bath was one of the greatest comforts that existed; just as he laid in the heated water, the impurities that clung to his skin were washed away.

Though as he ran soap over his calloused skin, he was reminded of the scars that were etched into his body; mementos of a time he doesn't know if he wants to remember or not.

Running his fingers across his neck lightly, he traced the scar of his once maimed throat, looking down at the bathwater in somber.

In the silence inhabiting the bathhouse, those fragments of memories were able to play in his mind; the sounds of it all; the clash of steel, the squelching of flesh beneath blade and fist, and his own, agonized cries.

–But, it couldn't reach him.

It was when looking at the glisten of the golden, inscribed ring on his hand that the momentary anguish was swept from his expression, replaced with a small smile.

Even after all of this time, you won't let me rest for a second will you, Purgatory? He thought.

"Sheesh…" He muttered, relaxing in the bathtub as he looked up at the quartz ceiling that held an illuminated rune for light.

After getting out of the bath and drying off, having soothed his body in the purifying water for half an hour, he threw on a comfortable, gray tunic, and matching, baggy pants as he carried his armor and primary garments to his room.

Sitting on the already made, king-sized bed that was covered with fluffy, silver blankets, Iris was storing her possessions into the drawer.

Shifting from the norm of the foundation, the bedrooms were laden with a layer of gray, tender carpet with lavish, wood drawers already set up alongside a few paintings being in place.

Though there were windows stationed around the sector, there wasn't much of a jaw-dropping view outside, overlooking the barren, but simultaneously flourishing land.

"I already put your things away for you," Iris told him with a smile.

He looked at her for a moment, plopping his armor down beside the bed as he still had a towel on his moist, white locks, "Oh. Thanks."

After flopping his body down onto the bed, he sank into its comfort as he immediately closed his eyes.

"That small-time quest really pooped me out," he said tiredly, "this past month has made me rusty."

Iris laughed, "Well, Mr. Guild leader, you'll have a lot of work to do from now on, so I wouldn't worry about staying rusty."

"....Don't remind me," he sighed.