Stone Shield was the bedrock. Reliable, strong, loyal. But an army needs more than just a shield wall. It needs finesse, support, the ability to mend and bolster. It needed Silver Heal.
Real name: Chloe Evans. In my past life, she was Dawn Guild's lead healer and secondary strategist. Razor-sharp intellect, nerves of steel under pressure, and an almost preternatural talent for anticipating damage spikes. But she was also fiercely independent, cynical, and motivated by… complex factors. Not easily swayed by fame or simple promises.
Finding her wouldn't be as straightforward as locating Stone Shield. Chloe wasn't the type to grind levels in standard questing zones.
I checked the player search. 'Silver Heal'.
[Player 'Silver Heal' found. Level 8 Priestess. Location: Oakhaven City - The Gambler's Den (Instance).]
The Gambler's Den. An underground, semi-legal instance hidden beneath Oakhaven's entertainment district. Not a combat zone, but a hub for high-stakes card games, betting rings, and shady dealings within Epoch's player economy. Figures. Chloe always did enjoy playing the odds, both literal and metaphorical.
"Stone," I messaged my new guildmate, who was likely still admiring his new shield. "Need you back in Oakhaven. Meet me outside the 'Tipsy Pixie' tavern. We have another potential recruit to approach."
/tell Fierce Arrow Roger that! Be right there. Need muscle?
/tell Stone Shield Possibly. More likely, just a show of presence. This one might be trickier.
The Tipsy Pixie was a raucous place, filled with players celebrating minor victories or drowning sorrows. Stone Shield arrived quickly, his new shield gleaming, drawing admiring glances.
"Alright, Fierce, who are we looking for?" he asked, his voice eager.
"A Priestess named Silver Heal," I said, leading him towards a dimly lit alley behind the tavern. "She's currently inside The Gambler's Den. We need her for Dawn Guild."
Stone frowned. "Gambler's Den? Isn't that place… kinda sketchy? And a Priestess hanging out there?"
"She's not typical," I understated. "Sharp mind, exceptional healer. But she values leverage and doesn't trust easily. We need to make her an offer she can't refuse, without looking desperate."
The entrance to The Gambler's Den was disguised as a cellar door behind the tavern. A burly NPC bouncer eyed us suspiciously.
"Access fee is 1 Gold per person," he grunted.
Expensive for most low-level players, designed to keep out casual riff-raff. I paid for both myself and Stone without blinking, the cost trivial after my silk market coup. The bouncer nodded, stepping aside.
We descended into a smoky, crowded basement instance. Unlike the combat dungeons, this was purely social, filled with tables where players played cards, rolled dice, or watched holographic projections of ongoing arena matches, placing bets via interface panels. The air buzzed with hushed deals and occasional shouts of victory or despair.
My enhanced Perception scanned the room. Liars, cheats, desperate gamblers, a few calculating sharks. And there, at a high-stakes Oracle Bones table in a corner alcove, sat Silver Heal.
She looked much as I remembered her avatar: slender frame, clad in practical but elegant silver-trimmed robes, silver hair tied back neatly. Her face was calm, focused, revealing nothing as she studied the intricately carved bones laid out before her opponent – a flashy Rogue with too much jewelry.
Her gaze flickered up as Stone and I approached, drawn perhaps by my reputation or Stone's imposing figure in his new gear. No recognition, just cool assessment. Her eyes, sharp and intelligent, lingered on me for a fraction longer than necessary.
"Dealer calls for bets," the NPC croupier intoned.
Silver Heal calmly pushed a stack of gold chips forward – easily 50 gold worth. The Rogue hesitated, then reluctantly matched.
The bones were cast. Silver Heal won. The Rogue cursed, slamming his fist on the table. Silver Heal simply gathered her winnings with quiet efficiency, her expression unchanged.
"Can I help you gentlemen?" she asked, finally addressing us, her voice smooth and calm, betraying none of the intensity I knew she possessed. "Or are you just admiring my technique?"
"Impressive," I acknowledged. "We're here to talk business, Silver Heal. Not gambling."
"Everything is a gamble," she countered, stacking her chips neatly. "Depends on the stakes and how you play your hand. Who are you playing for?"
"Ourselves," I replied. "I'm Fierce Arrow. This is Stone Shield. We're founding a new guild. Dawn Guild. We need a lead healer. Someone exceptional. Someone like you."
A flicker of recognition at my name, but no awe like Stone Shield's. Just… calculation.
"Dawn Guild," she repeated slowly. "Catchy name. Starting from scratch, are we? Bold move, Fierce Arrow, considering the shadow looming over this server." She meant Shadow Temple, obviously.
"We plan to cast our own shadow," I said. "We have the strength," I nodded towards Stone, "the firepower," I indicated myself, "and the resources." I subtly let my gold pouch icon glimmer, showing a fraction of the remaining balance.
She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by the gold flash. "Strength, firepower, gold… common commodities. Easily lost. What makes Dawn Guild different? Why gamble my time and considerable talents on an unknown venture?"
Stone shifted uncomfortably, clearly not used to this kind of verbal sparring.
"Because," I said, leaning forward slightly, lowering my voice, letting my Perception analyze her micro-expressions – a tightening around the eyes, a subtle tension in her jawline despite her calm demeanor, "we offer something more valuable than gold or early glory. We offer a chance to be on the right side when the scales finally tip. A chance to build something lasting, something that won't crumble under the first sign of pressure from… established powers."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. Had I struck a nerve? Did she have past negative experiences with Shadow Temple or similar guilds?
"Bold words," she murmured. "Based on what? Rumors of your solo exploits? A lucky streak?"
"Based on foresight," I replied cryptically. "And the power to back it up. Join us, Silver Heal. Standard guild contract, top-tier resource priority for healing supplies and gear, leadership position, full transparency on operations."
She considered it, tapping a perfectly manicured finger on her stack of gold chips. "Tempting offer. But I have… existing obligations. Debts to clear, both virtual and potentially… otherwise." She glanced around the den meaningfully.
My Perception focused. She wasn't lying about obligations, but the 'debts' felt like a negotiation tactic, a way to extract more. What did she truly need? Security? Revenge? Opportunity?
"Clear your debts," I offered decisively. "I'll cover them. Within reason. Consider it a signing bonus. Name the amount." I needed her. Paying off whatever she owed was a small price.
That got her attention. Genuine surprise flashed in her eyes before being masked again. "Just like that? You don't even know what they are."
"Doesn't matter," I said. "Talent like yours is worth the investment. Join Dawn Guild, commit fully, and your financial worries vanish. Today."
She studied me intently, her sharp mind clearly weighing the offer, assessing my confidence, trying to gauge the risk. The watchers… could she sense them too? There was no outward sign, but her gaze held an unusual depth.
"Alright, Fierce Arrow," she said finally, a slow, calculating smile touching her lips. "You've bought yourself a Priestess. I'll transfer my 'outstanding markers' to your account momentarily." The smile widened slightly. "Hope your pockets are deep."
She initiated a transfer. A debt marker, tracked by the Den's internal system. The amount appeared: 150 Gold. Significant, but easily manageable for me. I authorized the payment instantly.
[System: Debt Marker Cleared. 150 Gold transferred to Gambler's Den Treasury.]
Silver Heal's posture relaxed almost imperceptibly. A burden lifted.
"Welcome to Dawn Guild, Silver Heal," I said, extending a virtual hand.
She accepted it, her grip firm. "Pleasure doing business, Guild Master."
The second pillar was secured.
Just as Silver Heal formally accepted the guild invite popping up on her interface, a familiar chime echoed in my mind.
[Ding! Successfully recruited multiple key personnel for nascent organization.]
[System Objective 'Founding Pillars' Completed.]
[System Experience Gained.]
[Infinite Arrow God System Level Up! Current Level: 8]
[Ability Enhanced: Critical Combo]
[New Effect: Chain Reaction. Critical Hits triggering Critical Combo now have a chance (scaling with Perception) to cause residual energy to arc to a nearby secondary target, dealing minor damage.]
Level 8. And an enhancement to my core ability. Chain Reaction. Not just single-target annihilation anymore, but passive cleave potential, scaling with the very Perception that helped me navigate social encounters and detect unseen threats. Perfect for dealing with crowds, perfect for larger scale battles to come. And scaling with Perception… interesting. The System seemed to be rewarding my focus on awareness.
"First order of business," I said, turning to my two new guild members as we exited the Den. "We need a base of operations. Not territory yet, but a place to coordinate, store resources."
I led them towards the Oakhaven warehouse district. Using another chunk of my gold (50 Gold), I rented a large, secure warehouse instance – basic, empty, but private and defensible.
"This is temporary," I explained, as we stood inside the echoing space. "But it's ours. Storage access will be granted. We stockpile potions, materials, anything useful."
Stone Shield looked around, impressed. "A guild hall already?"
"A storage shed," Silver Heal corrected dryly, though her eyes scanned the space with calculating approval. "But a useful one. What's the long-term plan, Guild Master?"
"Growth," I stated simply. "Strategic recruitment – quality over quantity. Resource control – identify key crafting materials, farming spots. Gear acquisition – targeting specific dungeon drops and hidden quests. And staying off Shadow Temple's main radar, for now."
Just as I finished speaking, my enhanced Perception screamed a warning.
Subtle movement outside the warehouse instance entrance. Faint shimmers in the air. Multiple presences trying – and failing, against my Perception – to remain undetected.
Rogues. At least three. Watching us.
Their guild tags, briefly visible as one shifted position poorly: A stylized black dagger on a red field.
Shadow Temple scouts.
They found us.