Agatha The Legendary Guild Master

His words were somehow a promise of help rather than a threat, but I wasn't sure if I could let go of this artifact with only a shade of promise.

"If you want that artifact, then you must give me a better offer."

I needed more than a promise, however I didn't know what true potential this place held, so I vaguely asked for another price, without naming it.

"Hmm, you don't want my help?" the voice asked after some time.

"I want, but it alone isn't enough," I said, "you see, to give you the artifact with clear conscience, you need to give me something higher than the other rival of yours would offer."

"Are you trying to blackmail me?" the voice calmly, yet stressfully asked.

"No, I'm just bargaining with you," I didn't flinch as I replied in a calmer way than him. I wasn't the one in need for the artifact, and I wasn't the one who had a strong rival to that.

"Fine, I can grant you an information service, but the price of this would be separate from our deal," he finally said in his mind, which startled me at first.

I thought he was belittling me, as my face changed once I heard his words. it seemed he realized my reaction, so he calmly added:

"My information service is way beyond your comprehension foolish girl, so don't look at me like I was tricking you here, I'm the one who is losing a lot by doing that."

He seemed proud, confident, and that made me more wary of him. "Give me an example of what you can do so I can better assess your value," I replied with these words without showing any trust in his offer. I smelled the scent of scum here.

"You want a free service? From me?!"

He spoke like I was insulting him, but I really couldn't see any value of his information agency or whatsoever.

"I don't know the value of your words, so please enlighten me with some of your wisdom."

I tried to act modest, showing respect that I rarely leaned to, in a try to make a good grasp of the current situation. I wasn't lying, or faking when I said those words, as I was really ignorant to his worth.

"Fine." Long time passed without a single word until he spoke this, and he stayed a long time before adding, "I will give you this free info, and it's very important to you. I know you are a direct descendant of the witch, someone of the same existence as me.

Putting that in mind, then it would be better if you learnt about what your enemies are currently scheming against you. I believe you came all the way here trying to eclipse a plot of a castle, an old cursed artifact that got itself in your way.

Don't be mistaken, it wasn't put there accidently, but as a move from your enemies to delay your progress. They wanted to halt you at the place where the castle was built, and that was to make sure you won't be able to advance.

They fear your advance, your progress, fear the old forgotten shade of the witch to come back, even as a glimpse in you. So, they started using all their connections and used the castle as a beginning step towards destroying you.

My info is regarding their next step, as you have some sort of challenge back at your home, a way to prove yourself worthy of leading people. They are trying to amass groups of people to their cause, pushing them in front of your path, trying to snatch what so called; the first dungeon places , or something that's similar to this concept.

So, be aware, you can crush the castle now using the artifacts in your possession, but all of them won't work when you return to your home. Some limitations of the place you are at will be forced upon you, so don't waste much time in your quest, and try to be prepared for the bigger challenge back home.

Losing this challenge seemed to be very important, in their opinion at least, as a mandatory step in falting your progress and failing your promising project.

Succeeding there will boost your prowers, making you a force that wouldn't be shaken easily, cornering your enemies in a more disfavorable situation. So don't be mistaken, and don't belittle that challenge or underestimate your enemies, or else failure will be the ultimate result you will gain no doubt."

I had to admit, this was way beyond my expectations. The first things he said carried a secret I didn't realize, the true identity of the witch. She was on par with the being who was speaking to me, a guardian to this world, someone so strong that I couldn't even guess his true strength, an unfathomable being that I was descending directly from and was an heir to.

That meant I was destined to greatness, and the words he just spoke made things clearer. It seemed what Shin warned me about was true, I had enemies, fierce enemies that knew my true potential and were afraid of who I would grow up to be.

The challenge the guardian spoke of was related to my adventure group. Frankly I never imagined this group would be this important, at least to my enemies, however it seems I underestimated the true value of it, but not anymore.

I used to see the group as a way for me to establish my guild, just a means that was presented to me and I intended to use it, but I didn't imagine it was this important.

This meant one thing, there was only one way to help me establish my guild, which was by success in making my group recognizable and strong. Knowing this, my vision for the group changed drastically, and with it I learnt how far important the words coming from this guardian mouth were.

"I agree to your offer," I instantly replied once my mind jumped to this conclusion.

"Good, now let's exchange these."

A token appeared suddenly in front of me, which I strangely observed while asking:

"What is it?"

"A means to speak to me whenever you want info," he simply replied, explaining the use of this token. I totally missed that I would leave here and go back to the sacred lands. It wouldn't be practical if everytime I wanted to know some info, I had to use the pond.

So this token came to solve the problem I wasn't aware of. I took the token and sent the fourth mysterious curse towards the sir, where it vanished with a wandering voice of the guardian:

"I feel you never inspected the curse, why didn't you do that?"

"Knowing something that would never belong to me isn't useful, letting go of it with my ignorance is better," I replied without removing my eyes from the token. "How can I use it?"

"Everytime you want some info, you have to drop a single blood drop onto it, then you can speak with me. be aware that from now on, I can't answer any question of yours or tell you any info before paying the appropriate price for it."

"Don't worry Mr. Guardian, I won't bother you a lot," I replied, evading the point he just spoke of. I wasn't sure what price he would ask for, but if he was artifacts' nerd, then it would be impossible for me to get any use out of this token.

"Good, it's time for you to return back now."

Once spoken, I felt a great repulsion force that hit me out of nowhere. Just as I closed my eyes and opened them, I found myself returning again to the sacred lands, with a huge castle standing in the horizon, guarded by high walls and sturdy defensive towers.

And it was midday, which meant I was gone for nearly one whole day.

I was standing in the balloon, surrounded by my team, or what was left of it. I started this journey with one hundred players, and returned here with forty four only.

I looked at the castle, then at Gen as I said:

"Be ready, we will start attacking shortly."

Gen looked at me like he was looking at a crazy person and he had the right to think that. The castle we left under the building had already been completed, and the walls were now tightly surrounding it, preventing anyone from getting near.

Any move against the castle would be suicide, and I just decided to attack, in what appeared to be on a whim to them.

I wasn't mad, or lost my sanity, as I had a weapon to crack this castle open. I went into that adventure to get a key to gain this castle, and though I failed in achieving that, I had the way to render this castle ineffective.

Though I longed to the effect of the castle, in trapping people and turning them into demons, higher level demons. I controlled the balloon to go towards the ground, while saying:

"Send messengers to everyone loyal to me here."

"Your orders my princess," Gen respectfully asked.

"Make them all gather towards my balloon, we will hit this castle and destroy it tonight."