"Oh, Dayesh, you are here," said the receptionist, immediately handing him his bow and arrows.
"My apologies for returning home yesterday. I am ready to begin."
"This is your weapon and a map to guide you to the locations of the quests you will undertake from now on."
"Thank you very much."
"Always stay alert and be careful at all times."
His first quest was to search for herbs that an apothecary needed for making medicine.
Dayesh walked deep into the forest when he gradually felt the atmosphere grow heavy. He could sense ferocious beasts lurking, waiting for the right moment to strike their prey. He remained alert in case they suddenly attacked.
Soon, he noticed their presence fading. Perhaps they had sensed the power he was subtly releasing and became afraid. Freely, he gathered leaves and placed them into the basket he carried, filling nearly half of it.
Next, he searched for a horn that had been dropped by a member of a caravan. Based on the marked location, he began looking in that area.
Before long, goblins began to appear. One of them held the horn. He did not need to get close to eliminate them.
After dispatching the creatures, he retrieved the horn, now stained with blood.
He rested for a while before continuing with another quest he had taken for the day. This one involved finding a messenger pigeon belonging to a noble family that had been missing for several days. Most likely, no one accepted the quest because they assumed the bird was already dead or impossible to find given the vastness of the land.
Yet the pigeon revealed itself to him. They communicated through telepathy.
"Your master is looking for you. Come with me so I can return you."
"I will not go. They always lock me up when they have no use for me. I want freedom."
"I can speak to them about your concerns."
"I do not want to. I do not trust them. Once I return, they may never let me go again."
"That is why I will speak to them for you."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes, I am sure. Come, let us go home."
The pigeon flew toward him and perched on his shoulder.
The guild receptionist was astonished to learn that Dayesh had completed three minor quests in a single day.
"As for the pigeon, I will arrange a meeting with its owner."
"You may speak with her tomorrow."
Soon after, he received the reward for the items he had delivered.
Minor quests paid between thirty and fifty silver each.
"Wait," said the pigeon. "Do not leave me here."
"But you must stay here for now so your owner can see you tomorrow."
"Please do not leave me here," it pleaded.
Dayesh turned to the receptionist. "I will take it home with me for now."
"What? Why?"
"It says it does not want to be left here."
"Oh? You can speak with animals?"
"Not exactly. But I can hear its voice in my mind."
The woman thought for a moment before finally agreeing.
"Thank you," said the pigeon, chirping softly.
When Lzith saw the pigeon, she began playing with it.
"She seems happy with the bird you brought."
Dayesh smiled as he watched his child play gently with the pigeon, which lightly pecked at her palm as she fed it.
Soon after, Lzith transformed into a bird as well. A small phoenix, but colored violet, the rarest among all phoenixes in Caelumn.
"I am beginning to wonder about your true nature, Dayesh," said the pigeon.
He did not respond and only smiled.
While the two birds played, Dayesh invited Jauna into the room. He simply wanted to hold her, having felt a brief sense of longing.
"You are so affectionate, my love," Jauna said, ticklish as he kissed her ear.
He did not speak, letting his actions express his feelings.
Jauna embraced him in return, reciprocating his love.
The next day, Dayesh returned to the guild office with the pigeon.
"Dayesh, the owner of the pigeon is here."
A beautiful young lady stood up. From her posture alone, it was clear she came from a noble family. She stared at him briefly before looking at her pigeon, which was inside a small cage.
As she reached to take it, Dayesh pulled his hand back and spoke.
"Do not place it in a cage. It wants to fly freely and will return to your home on its own."
"But I am afraid I might lose it."
"Pigeons are not meant to be confined. That is not their nature. If you want a bird that is fine with being caged and will not leave, then you should get a parrot."
"I understand. May I have it back now?"
"I do not trust her promise," the pigeon said in Dayesh's mind.
"There is nothing more I can do beyond speaking to her. If she does it again and you have the chance to escape, then leave."
Dayesh handed the cage to the lady. She was delighted to have her pet back and promised she would no longer confine it, allowing it to fly wherever it wished.
Afterward, Dayesh returned to the bulletin board to look at the quests. There were three mythic quests listed:
Hunt the Shadow Stag. The shadow itself must not be destroyed. It must be removed from the forest and brought to the guild officials for relocation.
Kill the Sea Serpent. A sea serpent has been appearing and capsizing ships and boats that pass through its territory. It must be slain to prevent further harm.
Tame the Dream Owl. An owl roams houses at night, toying with people. Its victims begin sleepwalking and are found in distant places under its influence.
Secretly, he took the Shadow Stag quest.
He informed Jauna that he might be gone for several days, as the mission he accepted could not be completed in a single day.
"Do you need a horse?"
"No, my love. I will take wolf form when I rest and hide in places where I cannot easily be seen."
"I will prepare food and medicine for you instead."
He carried Lzith and played with her.
"Pa… pa…" she said.
"My heart feels lighter whenever I see you," he said. Though she did not understand, Lzith laughed and clapped her hands.
He then turned to Jauna.
"My love, perhaps we should give Lzith a sibling so she will have someone to play with."
"Let two years pass first. It is difficult to care for two small children, especially when you are not always here."
"That is true. Would you like to live in the town, my love?"
"Where did that question come from?"
"If I manage to save enough money, I will buy a house in the town so we can live there. Only if you agree. I will not force you into something you do not want."
"Perhaps we can discuss that later. I understand that it would be better to live closer to civilization. In a few years, Lzith will need to go to school, and it is far from here."
The next morning, Dayesh went to the guild office. He spoke with the receptionist about the location of the Shadow Stag.
"Are you sure you can do this? If you return without completing it, there will be a penalty deducted from your future earnings," she said quietly.
"That is fine. I will just try."
"You are fine with a penalty? Are you sure?"
"I am fine. Just do not tell anyone that I am taking this quest, whether I succeed or not."
"Understood."
The receptionist suddenly grew curious about him.
"How do I get to its location?" Dayesh asked, placing the map on the table.
"This is the place," she said, pointing to an area marked with dense forests and mountains. "It is quite far. About three days on foot, one and a half days on horseback, or one day without rest, which is impossible because the horse would tire."
"I understand."
She marked possible routes on the map to make his journey easier.
"Thank you."
"Do not forget my share if you succeed," she whispered playfully, lightly tapping his arm.
"So if I fail, I get a penalty, but if I succeed, you get a share?" he asked with a laugh.
"You are no fun," she replied, laughing as well.
"Just remember, do not speak about this whether I succeed or not."
"Understood. But you owe me a share if you succeed. I will lend you an item box so you can store the shadow of the stag once you capture it. You will need it in the future anyway."
"Thank you. I will repay it in due time."
"You are welcome."