Inside the grand hall, the atmosphere was charged with curiosity and a hint of tension. The council of elder elves, each with an air of wisdom and authority, watched us intently. The elder with silver hair who had stepped forward to greet us motioned for us to sit at a long, beautifully crafted table.

  "Please, sit," he said, his voice calm yet commanding. "We have many questions, as I am sure you do as well."

  Overon and I took our seats, feeling slightly out of place in this elegant setting. Roxana stood nearby, her posture relaxed yet alert, as if ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

  "My name is Eldrin," the silver-haired elder began. "I am the head of this council. You have already met Commander Roxana. Now, tell us more about yourselves and how you came to be in the Great Alvin Forest."

  I took a deep breath, deciding to keep our true identities hidden for now. "We are travelers," I began cautiously. "I am Deserter, and this is my brother Overon. We were on a journey and got lost, eventually finding ourselves in this forest."

  Eldrin's expression remained neutral, though I could sense his curiosity. "This area is usually blocked off to outsiders. How did you get past the outer defenses? There should have been a wide variety of beasts in that area to deter intruders."

  "We honestly have no idea," I said, shaking my head. "We just... found ourselves here."

  Roxana stepped forward, her eyes narrowing slightly. "It's strange that you managed to get this far without encountering any of our defenses. But it seems fate has brought you here."

  Overon, leaned forward with a friendly smile. "We didn't mean to cause any trouble. We're just trying to find our way and understand more about this place. Could you tell us more about the forest and its inhabitants?"

  Eldrin exchanged a glance with Roxana before answering. "The Great Alvin Forest is home to many ancient and powerful creatures. Our city is one of the few safe havens amidst the wilderness. We protect it fiercely, as you have seen with our encounter with the chimera."

  Roxana added, "Speaking of which, we are grateful for your help. Your intervention was timely and saved many lives."

  I nodded, trying to keep the conversation focused on gathering information. "We're glad we could help. What can you tell us about the threats you face here? The chimera seemed particularly dangerous."

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Eldrin sighed, his expression growing serious. "The chimera is one of many threats. Dark forces have been stirring in the forest, and we have been fighting to keep our city safe. But it is becoming increasingly difficult."

  "Is there a place we can learn more about this world?" I asked. "We'd like to understand more about the dangers and perhaps even help."

  Roxana's expression softened. "You could visit the Adventurers' Guild. It's a place where travelers and warriors gather, take on missions, and learn about the world. I can take you there."

  Overon and I exchanged a glance. This seemed like a good opportunity to blend in and gather more information. "That sounds perfect," I said. "We'd appreciate that."

  Roxana nodded and led us out of the hall. As we walked through the bustling streets of the elven city, she pointed out various landmarks and shared snippets of history. The city was a marvel of architecture, with towering trees woven into the structures and glowing lights that gave it an ethereal feel.

  Finally, we arrived at the Adventurers' Guild. The building was large and imposing, with a sign that depicted a sword crossed with a staff. Inside, the hall was filled with adventurers of various races and sizes, all engaged in lively conversation or studying mission boards.

  Roxana guided us to the front desk, where a dragonborn woman with gleaming scales and piercing eyes greeted us. "These two wish to join the guild," Roxana explained.

  The dragonborn nodded, handing us forms to fill out. "Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild. I am Syra. Please fill out these forms, and we'll get you registered."

  As we filled out the forms, I couldn't help but notice the levels displayed on a nearby board. The highest level listed was 50, which seemed incredibly low compared to our own. I nudged Overon and pointed it out. He gave me a knowing look, and we silently agreed to keep our true levels a secret.

  Once registered, Syra handed us our guild badges. "You’re now members of the guild. Feel free to take on missions from the board, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask."

  Before we could respond, a large figure approached. A dragonborn, much older and more imposing than Syra, with scars crisscrossing his scales. "New recruits, huh?" he rumbled, his voice deep and gravelly. "I'm Garrick, one of the guild’s senior members. You two look like you’ve seen some action. Ever thought about some training to hone your skills?"

  Overon grinned. "Training sounds good. We could always use more practice."

  Garrick's eyes narrowed slightly. "Let's see what you've got. Follow me to the training room."

  We followed Garrick down a corridor to a large training hall. Various adventurers were sparring, practicing their skills. Garrick turned to us. "Show me what you can do."

  Overon stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. Suddenly, a powerful strike that sent a training dummy flying across the room, splintering it into pieces.

  Garrick's eyes widened. "Impressive," he said, a hint of awe in his voice. "But remember, power is nothing without control. Let's see how well you handle yourselves in real combat."

  As we prepared for the sparring session, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and anticipation. We had to be careful not to reveal too much, but this was also our chance to learn more about this world and its challenges.