I Know the Secret to Surpass Level 100

Elliot was looking for a perfect timing to tell Lance about their guild's situation.

He knew he shouldn't be meddling with the guild's affairs but as part of it, he should be at least a bit involved. After all, Azure Scorch was the only guild that accepted him. He applied over and over again and this guild was the only one who accepted him.

And he wasn't going to let it crumble and do nothing.

Days have passed and Elliot still couldn't tell Lance. Comet quests got even rarer, meaning they could only do Meteor quests that usually ends in a day or two.

He was at the bar when he saw Midnight hung a sign. From time to time, the bar's background frames would often change. Quotes would array the bar along with the bottles of liquor and wine.

"Honesty will set you free." Elliot could only gulp after reading the sign.

He got even more pressured.

A few nights ago, he started weighing the odds. If he won't tell Lance, maybe Frederick would find a way to settle it. But if their guild master couldn't, their guild would be disbanded. And if he did managed to tell Lance, what would happen then?

Maybe Lance would find a way since he's the son of the king? Maybe he would try to talk to his father and not let the king disband the guild?

Elliot was thoroughly conflicted.

"You seem to be deep in thought," Midnight said that woke Elliot from his thoughts.

"Err, yeah," Elliot chuckled awkwardly. "Uhm, Midnight, have you ever been in a situation where you are conflicted about what to do? When you have two options but you don't know which option to pick. You don't know what consequences either paths holds."

Midnight paused. He pursed his lips and thought about it, "Yeah. A lot of times."

"And how did you do it?"

"I just did what I had to do," Midnight smiled. "Fate lets us do things on our own. What it does is that it paves the path in both ways. You choose your path. Then Fate paves two more, then you choose again and the cycle goes. The future isn't one straight road. It's a multitude of rivers and streams."

"And whether you want to end up in an ocean, a downstream, a cave, you choose your path that you feel like it would take you there. Life is full of decisions, Elliot. And what you choose now may not only affect you, but a group of people. And most often, it would affect the ones being the closest to you."

Elliot froze at Midnight's last statement. He was right. Midnight was right. If Elliot would only leave this to Frederick alone, he might not handle it. Everyone needs help. Even someone like Frederick.

"There you are," Lance said, walking over. "Where have you been? I finally got a Comet from Glitch."

Elliot couldn't respond. He was still gathering all the courage in the world and Lance appearing all of a sudden made him lost all his senses.

"Elliot? Are you okay–"

"We need to talk," Elliot said. "In private."

–

Hands slamming on a table echoed throughout the office.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Lance seethed.

"We are trying to fix this, Lance," Frederick said. "Give us more time."

"When did they start this?" Lance asked.

"Two months ago," Luck replied that made Lance scoff.

"Luck knew but I, the vice guild master, did not?" he jeered and flipped the table. "I sacrificed a lot of things for this guild and you're treating me like I'm not part of it?!"

"What happened?" Connor asked. They were outside the office, crowding around the door. Inside were screaming voices and things being smashed.

"I've never seen vice guild master Lance like this."

"What happened?"

"Do you think this has to do with the Officer that came a day ago?"

…

Elliot could only gulp. "I-I think I made the wrong move."

"What do you mean?" Connor asked. "Elliot, what do you mean?"

"I need some air," Elliot said and walked away. His friends tried calling him but he was too drowned in his thoughts.

"I don't want to hear any more reasons, Frederick," Lance said, voice coated with fury. "Don't let Midnight know anything about this."

Lance turned and went to the door. When he twisted the knob, Frederick spoke.

"And what will you do?" Frederick stood from his seat. "You know you cannot negotiate with the king."

Lance turned his head with nothing but emptiness in his eyes, "You didn't tell me anything. Why should I tell you?"

With that, the door was slammed shut, almost tearing apart even.

The crowd outside scattered the moment the knob was turned. Only three people were left outside the office, Connor, Ed, and Hope.

"I was too loud, wasn't I?" Lance sighed.

"You didn't have to say anything for everyone to feel that ominous aura inside," Ed said. "You need to rest first. Let's go to the quest tomorrow."

Lance was surprised. He stuttered before finally regaining his composure, "Y-Yeah. Okay. Let's do that."

A knock sounded from Elliot's door a few hours after daylight. He opened it and saw Lance with mixed emotions painted in his eyes.

"Can I come in?" Lance asked to which Elliot nodded.

"What's up?" Elliot served tea he made from Fairy Wing Dusts. "I shouldn't have told you."

"No," Lance shook his head. "I'm glad you told me. This way, I can find a way to fix things."

"What will you do?"

"I talked to my father earlier," he said. "He said that if Midnight morphs under the full moon again, the Royal Family would withdraw its support from the guild, basically forcing us to disband. But there's another way."

Elliot threw the tea down the sink, not liking its flavor.

"The Royal Family would continue supporting the guild even with Midnight's monthly crisis," Lance said.

"And the catch?"

Lance smiled, "I have to return to the palace and assume my position as the heir to the throne."

"Cross that option out," Elliot said instantly. "We just need to stop Midnight from–"

A large explosion sounded from the guild house.

Elliot ran to the window and could only curse after seeing the bright white sphere up in the skies. "I think that was–"

When he turned, Lance wasn't there anymore. "Lance!"

When Elliot got out, the first thing he saw was a fiercer morph form of Midnight. He was breathing fire in the air like a dragon and he was more destructive.

"How did this happen?!" Elliot yelled, running to the guild and taking a rope.

"Everyone, pull!" Lance commanded.

They tried pulling Midnight down but was completely overpowered.

Lance leaped and landed on the tip of one of Midnight's long pointed horns. He raised his white sword. "Everyone, ready! Lumos!"

His sword glowed forming a bright ball of pure white light. The light made everyone squint because of the brightness. It was as though it was day again. Midnight seemed weaker, crouching down by the lack of darkness.

"Pull!" Lance yelled.

Elliot pulled the rope down, forcing Midnight to fall. Lance landed in front of Midnight, forcing him to take the potion to revert back.

When everything was settled, Elliot helped the Knights gather the rope and debris. The Casters started to fix the guild house.

Elliot was about to help more when he saw a familiar uniform. The Officer seemed like he was talking through his Console before nodding. He took a ball from his pocket, crushed it and disappeared.

"What was that about?" Elliot asked.

It then hit Elliot. "Lance."

Running around the base, asking and desperately looking around, Elliot failed to spot his friend. He then remembered what Lance said just a couple of minutes ago.

"I have to return to the palace and assume my position as the heir to the throne."

Elliot ran outside, spotting Frederick in the middle of the road, smoking.

"Where's Lance?" Elliot asked.

Frederick sighed, "So, it was you who told him."

Elliot slowly nodded. "But I only did it for the good of the–"

"You didn't do anyone good," Frederick cut him off. "Midnight was going to Jonhamme today but someone told someone about the problem."

Elliot was speechless.

"He got upset, and in the full moon too. What right timing," Frederick said, taking more of his cigarette.

"But where is Lance?" Elliot asked.

Frederick looked at him with a terrifying look in his eyes. He pointed at the road ahead.

There, Elliot saw a carriage just about to exit the entrance of the city.

"To where his family is," Frederick finished his cigarette and walked towards the entrancenof the guild. "I guess I was wrong about you."

A drop of water fell onto Elliot's hand. He looked up and saw that the skies were clear. He draped his hand over his cheek and realized that he was crying.

Elliot fell to his knees in helplessness.

"What have I done?"