"Corvus! What's the meaning of this!?" He said. She let go of the girls and slammed down the paper of the mission, "NO! WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS!" She yelled. "OR IS THE GUILD REALLY THIS IGNORANT!" He picked up the paper and started to read. "What are you talking about? Looks like a classic low risk escort mission." Corvus scoffed. "Low risk? LOW RISK! SO YOU REALLY ARE JUST THAT STUPID!" Frustrated, he replied, "How dare you speak to me like this?!" "NO! HOW DARE YOU SEND D OR C RANK ADVENTURES TO A PLACE SWARMED BY NOT JUST BANDITS BUT IS ALSO A HOME FOR BLACK DRAGONS!" She said as she showed her horns. "THAT'S BLACK DRAGON TERRITORY! YOU'RE SENDING ANYONE LESS THAN S OR SS RANK ON A SUICIDE MISSION! And as I'm your only S - Rank, I decide the terms. Ten million gold coins up front just for my team. 75% of the merchant's goods. Any Rare And Powerful Artifacts Or Materials we want in addition to a signed form agreeing to any amount of favors from any of my party in the future in addition to land for each of us."
"There's no way he'd agree to that." The Guild Master said. "Well if he convinced you then he's surely got deep pockets and not only is an idiot, he knows of the danger. Highly dangerous bandits in large numbers are still usually a job for B or A rank adventures!" She exclaimed. Uncomfortable, the Guild Master said, "Corvus... Meet... Duke Leon of Wessington... The... Merchant..." The Duke got up and turned around. "Hello, I'm this supposed idiot you've been yelling about. Duke Leon. Pleased to meet you." Her anger only grew. "So it's you! You knew the danger!" She yelled. "I'll admit, I did. However, all other routes are closed and I need to transport my goods." He stated. "Well if you can't pay up, no one else from this guild will help you. I'll ensure it." Corvus stated. Beyond anger in her voice. "I accept your terms." The Duke stated, shocking everyone. "You realize I'll need all of this in writing and my terms aren't including any of the guilds terms," She said.
"I understand and I'll make sure we both will have a copy of that agreement in addition to all parties having a copy of the agreement with the guild itself." Out of words and witty comebacks, Corvus just said, "Good. Okay then. And Guild Master, not only from you do I demand to know your actual name as you so rudely haven't mentioned it but I also would like these two to be upped to S class along with anyone else in my party and I to SS upon completion and I'll talk that in writing as well." He agreed and the contacts were written up. We signed them and the merchant only got the copies that were made by magic. I got the originals and safely put them in my bag. Same for the one I made with the Guild.
"Okay then. Give us three days to collect the proper materials and we'll be ready to leave." Aria, Blake and Corvus left the room. Aria carrying the mission. Once outside, Aria said, "Ok, what just happened?" All three of us were shocked, in disbelief, that he agreed. "What happened was all three of us will now have four million six hundred sixty-six thousand, six hundred sixty-six and six hundred sixty-six thousandths of gold EACH up front just for our team WITH 25% of the merchant's goods EACH AND Any Rare And Powerful Artifacts Or Materials we want in addition to a signed form agreeing to any amount of favors from any of my party in the future in addition to land for each of us! WE'RE RICH, LAND OWNERS AND NOW HIGHER UPS OWE US FAVORS!" Corvus said, excitedly.
"How the hell did he agree to all of that????" Blake asked. "I don't know, there's something fishy about it... Be on guard! I don't trust this guy." Corvus replied. The three of us stocked up on powerful armor and supplies. Corvus emphasizes my dragon side in hopes they wouldn't attack. Family heirloom armor made stronger by a local blacksmith and enchanted by a certain specialist. We all started riding and Corvus got a bad feeling as soon as we approached the crevice of my homeland right hours later.
The Duke's incessant droning had been a torment, a buzzing fly you couldn't swat. As the shadow of the crevice came closer, a sliver of hope flickered within – anything for silence, Corvus had muttered. Feeling the unease of the whole arrangement from the start. The exorbitant upfront payment, the merchant's too-eager promises of future riches. Now, his words echoed with grim prophecy. The horses shifted nervously beneath us, sensing the tension in the air. The ambush erupted with brutal efficiency. A volley of crude arrows whistled from hidden alcoves, some finding their mark in the horses, causing them to rear and whiny in panic. Rough-looking bandits, their faces masked by grime and malice, swarmed from the shadows, their rusty blades glinting in the dim light filtering from the entrance. Corvus's horse bucked as she struggled to maintain control. "Double cross!" Corvus roared, her hand already gripping the hilt of her sword. "Just as I suspected!" She spurred her horse forward, drawing steel.
The merchant, a pudgy figure with a sweat-slicked brow, remained near the entrance, a smug look replacing his earlier obsequiousness. He offered a curt nod to one of the lead bandits. "Indeed," he sneered, his voice now laced with a cruel confidence. "Why risk facing what slumbers above when a few well-placed coins can solve my little… escort problem?"
Then came the rustling, a leathery, ominous sound that made the blood run cold. From the darkness above, Black scales, the size of shields, shifted in the gloom. The bandits themselves seemed to shrink back, their initial aggression tinged with a palpable fear.
However, Corvus felt no fear. Unlike everyone else, she embraced in. In Draconic she roared, "FAMILY! IT IS I, DAUGHTER OF MALIGNUS NIGHTCLAW! CORVUS SYLVANI! DAUGHTER OF VALERIANA SYLVANI! HEAR ME!" Then, as a sign of respect, Corvus knelt before them with a hand crossing her chest as a group of them came out of their cave. Then they lingered over us, staring down. They saw the armor with my horns and knew what I said to be true. "Why do you come here, little one?" One responded back in Draconic. His presence commanded respect. He was clearly the leader. "Forgive me, I was trying to escort a merchant but was betrayed." The dragon looks at the merchant, then the bandits, before returning his gaze. "Evil betrayers?"
He asked. "Yes, but the two beasties behind me on horseback are friends." He huffed in agreement. Understanding not to hurt them. "It's been a long time, little one." I smiled, "I've missed you too, Grandfather. Do whatever you want with them but can we please take the goods and go?" He chuckled and said "No. Let's have a little fun first then you can loot their bodies too," I laughed, "Same old Grandpa, Huh? You never change. Sure, but I'm going to shield my friends while you do." He nods, then says, "Wanna do it?" Excited, I say, "Really!? I can do the call!?" He nods again. "Yay! Ok one sec."
In regular English I say to Blame and Aria, "You might want to stand back." Then in draconic I roar, so loud the walls shake, "BRETHREN, I CALL UPON YOU! HUMANS HAVE VIOLATED OUR TERRITORY. I, AS YOUR NEXT IN LINE SUCCESSOR TO THE THRONE AND WITH THE CURRENT DRAGON KING'S BLESSING, COMMAND YOU TO GET THESE FILTHY SCUM OUT OF OUR HOMELAND WITHOUT HARMING THE TWO BEASTIES ON HORSEBACK!" The longer the roar continued, the more the walls shook. The three of our party run out as the dragons all awake and begin to attack.