Prickly

  dell marched with a small piece of paper in his hands that legalized practically anything he would do for now, at least until the duchess herself or his boss would e and tell him to back down. Right now he had the power to legally execute everyone except for two people, and it felt intoxig. Normally wherolled the streets of Malencia, he had to watch out for any hat would make his life sour if he didn't bow to them at first sight, right now he marched with his team straight towards their destination, and made it clear to his men that no one would be hampering them. Protestors oreets did occasionally throw rocks, but they didn't try to pick too big of a fight with a dozen armed guards not ing for them.

  dell's objective was ier district, the adventurer's guild. Esstrey was handling the inner district, and starting the domino's. Her secretary who still gives dell the creeps would hahe middle district. The nobles were mainly located in the inner district, arey being the highest of rank of their little group was best suited for handling them, not to mention that she wouldn't hesitate to pile drive uncooperative individuals into the ground. The crafters, factories and merts were located in the middle district, dell wasn't sure how the maid-thing was well suited to that location, but she seemed to have fidence. dell's outer district was by far the rgest, and the hardest to handle, luckily his team wasn't there for the impossible task of rest order over the area. With how widespread the riots were, he doubts the full might of Malencia could properly quell them, especially as they were only bound to get worse for now. Or at least, they would if Esstrey wasn't pnning oing demons, creatures from the Beyond, and the uo help the guard more openly.

  One dozen men, possibly up against every adventurer currently in the guild, if he's lucky they won't act rash.

  dell is never lucky, he has always had to rely on skill.

  He couldn't bring more men so that he could actually break through the protestors, and sidering the absolute o of them, he's surprised they haven't broken into the inner district yet. Worst part is, waltzing ihe adventurer's guild with his men will get him beaten up by them, he's heard plenty of stories of soldiers marg into the guild to know that they tend to feel threatened by things like bureaucra force. Thus, his men will wait outside while he walks into the dragon's den... alone.

  The doors to the guild swing open, and dell's shit for luck begins to show as it's busy in it. Adveend to be better set than everyone else ier district, and are enjoying burning through their savings for booze and food until the riots and hunger issues blow over. Few seem to notice the lone el entering, thhly engrossed in whatever inane games they are pying to keep themselves distracted from all the ruckus outside. However, evero alalencia has to offer isn't enough to dull the wits of people who survive mostly out of paranoia. Those who nd their eyes on him keep them glued there, and his preses less and less unobserved as his rank isn't something usually seen around these parts, hell the guard rarely patrols these parts without the riots already, usually stig to the walls.

  Then dell marches up to the notice board, and begins tearing off every request reted to destroying undead, missing criminal cases, demon hunting practiissions, and tless dead-end iigations into the bck market. With all the notices in his hands, he marches up to the desk ter, where the only person sits who watched him like a hawk from the momeered, the receptionist. A cat-kin who looks at him like he's the tax collector during a particurly harsh season, even if he's something worse this time around.

  "By order of the Duchess of Malencia the Guard is enf the fifth rule for the establishing of the adventurer's guild; No issions targeting individuals representing the city, illegal activity ducted by specified personnel is to be doted aed to the Guard." dell does his best impression of the quartermaster, who always happeo seem to have a stick up his ass whenever he was forced to give out supplies he didn't want to give out.

  "el... these are all quests for handling... demons... undead... and other monsters of suature. I do not believe the guild is in breach of tract, uhe nobles have suddenly beuch more ho." dell isn't sure which of the creatures mentioned fall under nobles, and sidering the lone snicker of the now quiet guild, he's certainly not going to ask either.

  "Incorrect, these mentioned... groups are now all registered soldiers uhe Malen Guard." sidering the shifting expression okin, she had hoped the el wasn't serious with his cim, that hope was unfounded.

  "I see, I will take these quests and this information to the guild master, and see how... quickly we give you your response." Or whether to give a respo all, depending on how idealistic the guild master is it could go badly, but that's no longer dell's . Turning to leave, he's fronted by a rge bear of a man, literally. He stands a solid two heads taller than dell, and looks like he's been iy of fights. The bearman snorts in dell's face, looking down on the man in every way.

  "You are the mere human that follows that mermaid around, the big ohat wormed its way into high society, are you not? I khere was something off about her the moment I saw her, should have disposed of her then and there. How about this, you deliver a message for me to her, tell her I'm ing for her in that little keep of hers. That would serve her right for s with creatures that prey upon the weak." Many adventurers raise their mugs at the speech of the bearman, clearly intending to help in bringing about justice.

  "If that is what you wish, so be it, but I reend anyone agreeing with this se wholeheartedly to voice such s outside in the ing five minutes. Anyone who doesn't want to die to aplish this is reeo stay inside during that time." dell is putting up a brave front, but is sweating bullets right now. end tet faces, their rage is ued. Standing in front of the agitated bearman who could crush him like Esstrey could, he really doesn't feel that that applies to people who have plenty of personal pood thing that the bear is only ughing at his audacity while he quickly walks away like the scared little bureaucrat he is, leaving the adventurer's guild.

  dell hasn't eve before the rge bear is gathering people to 'stop the insanity of the duchy' with, plenty sign up with the help of their booze and the endless games getting on their he dreaded receptionist every adventurer fears is also absent to keep them in line, but one group noteably speaks out against it.

  "Don't do it Adder, you will lead these people to their deaths. I saw the mermaid on the wall myself, and I don't think she hasn't ated for people like you." Fergus stares down Adder, who snorts in his dire, and spits on the ground.

  "Didn't take you for a coward Fergus, your people especially so, isn't the old man a rather devout follower of the gods?" Despite Adder's scathing remark, some adventurers who were previously hesitating remain firmly seated, and the party members of Fergus pointedly ignore Adder.

  Adder decides to strike while the iron is still hot, and after gathering a few parties he sets out for the door, ready t the crazed city to heel.

  .

  .

  .

  "VUUR!!"

  *BLIING* *BLIING* *BLIING* *BLIING* *BLIING* *BLIING*

  A hail of lead turns the bear man into a fine red mist, having goraight through aal pting he was wearing and into the people behind him. One of the shots nded ly in his ium, and Adder's crusade is brought to an early end.

  "Squadron one reload! Squadron two ready!" The men of squadron one reload their break-auskets, and walk behind squadron two on orders of their el.

  The adventurers inside are divided into multiple lines of thought, fear, panid screaming their lungs out. The sheer volume of fire means a few shots went past Adder and found other marks, while most went straight through him into the unlucky ones behind him. Healers tend to the screaming ohe silent ones need healing no longer. No one dares get close to the door, lest the guard casts another hail of lightning on the wounded, who are now very much sobered up to their great distent.

  dell waits outside for a few more minutes, not needing to fire another volley. He was certainly scared when he faced that bear, but his boss is many times more terrifying. He is now certain he saw some hungry ambition in her face when he had hit the mutant outside the walls. A single shot is a mild threat, but a group of men armed with muskets bees a dangerous thing indeed.

  So muere' humans, they only outnumber and outgun everyone else.

  Prickly