Chapter 238 – Questions Regarding The Team

“Welcome, Justin,” Dean Beacon Smith said as I entered the conference room. I noted a group of elves, dwarves, and two legends.

“Thank you for arranging this, Dean Beacon Smith,” I said and he nodded as I took my seat at the opposite end of the conference table from the Dean.

“Normally, the College wouldn’t intervene in such an adventuring inquest. However, Justin’s parents are either dead or indisposed. As a top graduate it falls to me to protect his interests. There will be no threats. Now, let us hear about what happened to Justin’s team in the dungeon and put this matter to rest,” the Dean said and nodded at me while everyone else was quiet.

“The key event to the dissolution of the team was the dungeon siloing us to the beastkin continent. Leading up to that we functioned alright, but there were problems. The war mech outputted too much Mana and drew in monsters from surrounding chambers. We were able to work around this, but the consumption of Mana cores was immense,” I began explaining.

“We encountered a team of hostile beastkin adventurers in the dungeon. After defeating them, we ended up ascending up towards the beastkin continent. This was known by the composition of the chambers changing to cold weather ones on a much greater frequency, mirroring the surface,” I said and there were a couple of nods at this.

“There was no team leader elected in our adventuring group. However, once I realized we had been siloed and the hostile nature of the beastkin above us after encountering their adventuring team, I called for a dissolution of the team through a vote,” I replied.

“Even when you were entrusted with the war mech?” a dwarf asked. I shook my head.

“I never signed a contract. There was an adventuring agreement. But in the event of a long term issue while in the dungeon with our party set-up, there was no team leader. That meant having a vote. None of us had packed excessive food reserves,” I said and there were no more interruptions as I continued.

“Stormy Aether took action before the vote could complete, using the skill Chain Lightning and killing an unprepared April Withers and Sam Whitesmith instantly,” I said.

“TREACHERY!” the dwarf who had spoken up before roared out. “Killing her teammates. I always knew you elves were scum.” The elves didn’t say anything and were stone-faced. “Can’t say anything? Well, we are activating the penalty clause for betrayal in our contract.”

“It was an exceptional circumstance,” one elf said.

“We had a separate contract, outside the adventuring. Don’t try and get out of it now. No. You will be required to pay the penalty in full,” the dwarf said.

“Silence. Keep talking Justin,” an older legend said while staring intently at me. That was probably Harren’s grandfather. Everyone quieted down.

“I could no longer trust Stormy and Harren left with me. We left her with the war mech. We later felt a Mana shift and I later learned she destroyed both the war mech and the core. Harren and I tried to come up with ideas to return, when I suggested a ritual, he just left wanting no part in such a thing,” I said and no one interrupted.

“I used a ritual to create a dungeon exit into the Great White Waste. I then traveled across the frozen landscape and mountains, to the Fox Clan settlement called the End of the World. I managed to infiltrate the settlement and during my time there, I discovered that Stormy had been captured by the beastkin. She used Lightning Aura to kill lots of beastkin and herself before they could…eat her,” I said and there were a couple of gasps at that.

“I returned to the dungeon after securing supplies. Once there I focused on developing a way to return. Around half a year later, I ran into Harren in the dungeon. He…he had been consuming monster meat.” His father and grandfather both let out a short sigh. “I refused to share my supplies with him and a confrontation ensued. I killed him. I brought back his corpse and equipment, which have been returned.”

“And how did you get back?” an elf asked me.

“That question is beyond the scope of this adventuring inquest. An adventurer’s skills are no one’s business but their own,” the Dean cut in, which I was grateful for.

“A shame. He was our best hope to keep the legacy going. I guess we will have to look at the next generation,” Harren’s father said and his grandfather nodded. There was no bad will between us. We would never be friends, but they didn’t blame me for the death of their son.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“We wish to confirm everything he has said is truthful,” an elf demanded. The Dean nodded and a staff member brought over a truth orb and set it in front of me. I put my hands on it.

“I will ask the questions,” the Dean said and no one else made a noise. “Have you told the truth today regarding your adventuring team?”

“Yes,” I replied and the truth orb turned green with no other colors.

“Did you take actions you considered the best at the time with respect to adventuring standards?”

“Yes,” I replied and there was no color change.

“Did you conceal anything about your team’s demise?” the Dean asked.

“No,” I replied.

“I am satisfied with Justin’s explanation, unless someone disagrees?” the Dean asked. No one spoke up. The staff member took the truth orb away as everyone was silent.

“The Axefall family has nothing to say. Bringing back my son’s equipment and body are enough to settle any dispute we might have,” Harren’s father stated.

“The Withers Corporation has no dispute with Justin, but based on the actions of Stormy Aether, we will be asking for the penalties of the contract between us and the Aether elven family be enforced for betrayal,” a dwarf said.

“The Aether family has no dispute with Justin. But we dispute the claim of betrayal. The team had broken apart,” an elf said.

“Justin. Was a vote held to disband your team, or did Stormy Aether act before a vote was finalized?” the dwarf asked.

“She acted before a vote was finalized,” I answered, keeping my answer short.

“Then the team was still intact until her betrayal. Dean as the appointed adjudicator for this meeting on behalf of the Adventurer’s Guild, I ask that you issue a finding of team betrayal of Stormy Aether,” the dwarf said. Everyone looked at the Dean. I didn’t know he held such a role in this meeting.

“I can’t rule on the contract regarding the war mech, but acting before an official team disbandment is indeed a betrayal of one’s team members. The correct action would have been to part ways first. Then any future encounters would be between independent parties and not considered a betrayal,” the Dean said and the elves went completely still.

“Unfortunately to render such a judgement under Adventuring Guild rules, the individual in question has to be alive or considered missing. Since Justin stated that he witnessed Stormy’s death while fighting in a beastkin settlement, she is considered dead. Therefore no official ruling on her actions will be given, letting the dead rest in peace,” the Dean finished.

The dwarves looked like they had eaten terrible food, while the elves had relaxed. “Since there is no formal declaration of betrayal by the agreed upon arbiter, then there is no penalty,” the lead elf declared.

“This is why working with elves is a mistake. Making excuses and throwing even your family away. Just like an elf, no sense of belonging and trust. While we might not be able to hit you with the penalty clause, we are going to let everyone know of your actions and the actions of your family member. After recent events, the elves are on thin ice with the Adventurer’s Guild. I can personally state that the Withers Corporation will be pushing for official sanctions,” the dwarf declared.

“You are free to take whatever actions you desire. But just accept that the war mech was a failure. We invested quite a bit too and Stormy is dead just like your war mech pilot. I suggest we part ways without looking for further trouble,” the elf said.

“Easy for you to say, you cold blooded elf. I suggest you stay up at night and hide away. Since we don’t plan to let this go,” the dwarf declared and stood up with the other glaring dwarves. The elves stood up as well. Both sides left the conference room out of separate exits. Harren’s father and grandfather gave me a long look before departing as well.

Just the Dean and myself were left in the conference room. “Well, that should end your involvement in such an affair. I will be filing the conclusion of this adventuring inquest with the Adventurer’s Guild,” the Dean said.

“Could you also pass on that I encountered adventurer Illian Crosston in the beastkin part of the dungeon. He wanted to let people know he was alive, but trapped over there,” I said, a bit embarrassed. I had forgotten about the man and had just remembered about him.

“That can be included easily enough. It is rare that the fate of a missing adventurer comes back with news of life. Well, I will be going,” the Dean said and got up. I copied him as we both left the conference room.

I couldn’t help but think about how my actions had ruined dwarven and elven relations. While I wasn’t guilty of anything and there was already animosity, it was a sad outcome. The politics of the surface were treacherous and deep. I had avoided being pulled under, but this inquest confirmed my belief in adventuring on my own.

I greatly appreciated the Dean’s support. But I also recognized he was protecting his own interests. If the College didn’t protect top graduates, then its aura of safety and protection would be shattered during a time of upheaval. If he threw me to the monsters today, who would be next, would be the question asked.

People like the Axefall family used the College as their home for this very reason. That was why so many legends remained at the College instead of running off. The College guaranteed it would look after family members of legends, or you if you were important enough.

The Dean understood that true power resided at the very top, in the hands of legends. While the dwarves’ war machines were threatening that understanding, they were still only useful at the lower levels. Once someone was an elite, the danger of such things greatly decreased. The war mech had been hoping to overturn this paradigm, but it had failed.

I doubted another attempt would be attempted any time soon due to the costs and how the technology was divided between the elves and the dwarves.