Survivor: Rise of the Almighty

Chapter 14: Return to Torak

The sun was dipping low when we entered Torak. The golden light cast long shadows across the cobblestone streets, painting the modest city in hues of orange and deep purple. I sat beside Alaric on the carriage's reins, the worn leather of the new cloak he'd given me tugging at my shoulders every time the wind picked up.

"Take it," he'd said back in the forest, tossing me the cloak after pulling it from a fallen soldier. "No sense letting it rot. Its owner… doesn't need it anymore."

I hadn't argued. The cloak was heavy, practical, and still in decent shape—a dark green with hints of black around the edges. It would help me blend in.

The ride through the city was quieter than I expected. Torak wasn't the largest town, but it was alive in its own way. Merchants packed up their stalls for the night while kids darted through alleys, laughing and shouting. The clang of hammers and the crackle of torches filled the air as guards patrolled the main streets, their armor clinking with every step.

At the fork in the road, Alaric gave me a nod. "The noble district's straight ahead. I'll see to the girl."

I hopped off the carriage, landing with a thud and adjusting the cloak. "Thanks for the ride. I'll head to the Guild."

Alaric flicked the reins, and the horses pulled the carriage toward the heart of the city, their silhouettes vanishing into the thickening dusk. I lingered for a moment before turning toward the Adventurer's Guild.

---

The Guild Hall loomed ahead, its torches burning brightly against the deepening night. The wooden doors creaked open under my weight, and I stepped into the familiar chaos of laughter, shouting, and clattering mugs. Adventurers clustered around tables, swapping exaggerated stories and jostling for bragging rights. The air reeked of ale, sweat, and stale smoke.

I made a beeline for the counter. Gwen was there—one of the Guild's five receptionists. Her brown hair was tied back, her face plain but pleasant, though my eyes couldn't help but linger where they didn't belong. Her clothes, though tight and practical for her job, did nothing to hide the sizeable assets beneath them.

She looked up as I approached, her face lighting up in surprise. "Kaizen! Where the hell have you been?"

"Miss me?" I grinned, but the weight of exhaustion made it half-hearted.

Gwen's brow furrowed, her tone shifting from relief to concern. "You've been missing for a week. I thought something happened to you."

I scratched the back of my neck, already dreading the explanation. "I'm fine. Just… the Goblin Subjugation quest was a bit more than I expected."

Her face darkened. "More? What do you mean by 'more'?"

I leaned on the counter, trying to sound casual. "Turns out the goblins were under a Goblin Chief's command. Took me everything I had to make it out alive."

The room went silent. Not quiet—silent. Every adventurer within earshot turned to stare, their laughter and chatter cut off like someone had flipped a switch. I felt their eyes on me, disbelief and curiosity mingling in the air.

Gwen blinked, her voice low and careful. "You fought a Goblin Chief?"

I shrugged. "Didn't really have a choice. The quest wasn't just about killing goblins; the client village wanted their kidnapped women back. Turned out the Chief was behind the whole thing. Took me down hard—I was unconscious for a week."

The silence stretched a beat longer before whispers broke out across the hall. I ignored them, keeping my eyes on Gwen.

She sighed heavily, shaking her head. "Kaizen, are you insane? You can't take on something like that alone."

"Didn't exactly have a choice," I muttered.

"You're lucky you're alive," she said, leaning closer as her voice dropped. "There's a reason the Guild has rules, Kaizen. Rules that keep idiots like you from getting themselves killed."

"What rules?" I asked, feigning ignorance, though I had a good idea where this was going.

Gwen straightened, taking on her "official" tone. "You can only take quests one rank above your Guild rank. You're an F-rank adventurer, which means you can only take E-rank quests. That rule exists to keep people from biting off more than they can chew. It's bad for business if adventurers start dropping like flies."

I crossed my arms, feeling every pair of eyes still glued to me. "And what if someone can handle it?"

Gwen frowned. "Doesn't matter. Until you prove yourself and rank up, you stick to the rules. S-rank quests? You can only take those if you're an S-rank adventurer, or if you're in a party with at least three A-ranks and one S-rank. That's because a single S-rank adventurer is worth ten A-ranks. Anything higher—SS or SSS—well, those are different stories for another time."

I grunted, her words sinking in. "Yeah, well, I didn't have the luxury of rules out there."

"Next time, don't push your luck," Gwen said firmly. "You got lucky this time, but the Guild won't be able to drag your body back if you go missing again."

"Noted," I replied, forcing a faint smirk.

She sighed, pulled out a sheet of parchment, and stamped it with the Guild's seal. "Your quest is officially complete. Payment is four silver coins. Don't spend it all on ale."

I took the small pouch of coins, shoving it into my pocket. "Thanks, Gwen."

She gave me a long look, concern softening her tone. "Seriously, Kaizen. Don't do that again."

"I'll try not to," I said, though I wasn't making any promises.

---

The Mikaelson Inn sat on the quieter edge of Torak, its tall, leaning frame a familiar sight. The warm glow of lanterns spilled from its windows, and the faint smell of stew hung in the air as I stepped through the door.

The innkeeper, a towering man whose head nearly brushed the ceiling, grunted in greeting. "Back late tonight."

"Long day," I muttered, waving as I made my way up the stairs.

The room was small, simple, and perfect. A single bed sat against the wall, next to a narrow window overlooking the street below. I shut the door behind me and collapsed face-first onto the mattress, the day's exhaustion finally catching up with me.

I let out a long, slow breath, my body sinking into the thin bedding. For the first time since the forest, I let myself relax.

Knock knock knock.

The sound jarred me, my eyes snapping open. I groaned, turning my head to glare at the door.

"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered.

The knocking came again—louder this time.

I sat up, running a hand down my face as I swung my legs over the bed. "I swear, if this is Alaric…"

I pushed myself to my feet, every bone in my body protesting, and made my way to the door.

I pulled open the door, and there he was—the *mountain* of a man that ran this place. The innkeeper hunched over awkwardly to fit under the low wooden ceiling outside my room. His shoulders nearly filled the narrow hall, and I had to look up to meet his shadowed gaze.

"What the hell, old man?" I groaned, rubbing my eyes. "I feel like shit, and I just want to close my eyes for five goddamn minutes."

The innkeeper's lips curled into what I assumed was his version of a smile—a grim line beneath his thick beard. "Relax, boy. I get it. Long day?"

"You don't know the half of it."

"I might," he replied, voice a low rumble. "Heard what happened with that Goblin Chief."

I froze, blinking at him. "Already?"

"News travels fast when a new adventurer does something that stupid," he said flatly. "Anyway, those seven days you weren't here? I'll reduce them from next month's stay."

My brain took a moment to catch up with his words before the realization hit me. I'd paid for a full month in advance. Seven extra days knocked off meant I wouldn't have to cough up more silver to stay here next month.

"Shit," I muttered, suddenly feeling like an ass. I looked up at him, scratching the back of my head. "Sorry for snapping. Thanks. I mean it."

The Innkeeper waved a massive hand, brushing it off. "Don't worry about it, boy. You've been through enough." He paused. "You want something to eat? I can bring something up, or you can wait for morning."

I grimaced, my stomach twisting at the very thought of food. "No, I can't even think about eating right now. Tomorrow, maybe."

He grunted, nodding his understanding. "Alright. You get some rest, then."

"Thanks," I said again, stepping back as he turned and ducked under the doorway, his heavy steps creaking down the hall.

I shut the door and slumped back against it, my shoulders sagging. The room felt quiet again, peaceful almost. I made my way to the bed and collapsed onto the thin mattress, my eyes drifting to the ceiling.

The faint noise of the tavern below—the distant hum of voices, the scrape of chairs on wooden floors—began to fade as my eyelids grew heavy. My body sank deeper into the bedding, the exhaustion pulling me down like a stone in water.

*Finally,* I thought as sleep began to take me.

---

*BANG BANG BANG!*

I shot up with a jolt, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Son of a *bitch,*" I growled, throwing my legs over the side of the bed. The banging continued, loud enough to make my ears ring. I ran a hand down my face, cursing under my breath. "What the *fuck* now?"

*BANG BANG!*

"All right, all right, I'm coming!" I shouted, stomping toward the door. "If this is about some dumbass goblin story, I swear to whatever gods are watching, I will throw you down the stairs."

I wrenched the door open, ready to rip someone's head off—and stopped dead.

Standing in the doorway, her face stoic and unreadable, was Freya Mikaelson.

She was still in her plate armor, her steel-clad shoulders nearly brushing the doorframe, and her sharp eyes locked onto mine like a hawk sizing up prey.

"I'm here for our deal," she said simply.

I blinked, my brain still trying to catch up. *Of course she is.*

I sighed and leaned my head against the doorframe. "You ever heard of knocking *softly?*"

Her expression didn't change.

"No? Didn't think so," I muttered, forcing the words out as I tried to ignore the dull throb behind my eyes.

I looked at her, then back at the bed, and groaned. "Can I just point out that you have the absolute *worst* timing? I was about to sleep like the dead."

Freya didn't move. Didn't blink.

I ran a hand through my hair and stepped back into the room, gesturing for her to come in. "Fine. Come on. Let's get this over with before I regret every decision I've ever made."

As Freya stepped inside, I let the door swing shut behind her, muttering under my breath.

"Next time I save someone's ass, I'm gonna ask for a *better* deal. Like a goddamn nap."