Chapter 219

With Gillibrand demoted to level 1 and sent to the life of a pet for the woman he once called his wife, Cain turns his mind to more pressing matters. There are a load of prisoners being gathered up now, and he's not sure how his Guild members fared.

[Report. Any casualties?]

[None, at least none that weren't Summoned. Things got a little hectic there for a while and I'm not sure how many of the Companions are still standing.] Misha sends back, so Cain orders the Oath Breakers to take him to her. 

She's with Mythryll, who is still in her Dryad like Demon form, and Misaki who just sent up a fresh batch a Flare bursts, as the sun has only begun to peek over the horizon. 

Elmira arrives a few seconds later, covered in blood, but immediately sinks into the pocket of Mythryll's coat, as the tunic and shorts look Cain is currently sporting has none. A little over a hundred survivors have gathered here, spread a fair distance apart, possibly afraid of the Pestilence Debuff returning. 

"Is this everyone left?" 

Mythryll nods at Cain's question but points towards a spot in the distance. "The last battles were over there, and once you brought out the spear, everyone died in seconds."

She's got a point, it grants that insane damage bonus, as a percentage of his damage done, to the entire group. Anyone caught fighting in an area effect or against multiple target spells didn't stand a chance. 

"Alright then. Guilds to my left, unguilded to my right. Think long and hard on why I should let you live after attacking my home."

Most seem to have no answer to that, having been drawn in by greed and the promise of a better life in a powerful Guild. Then there are the few who did it for personal vendetta, wanting to get back at Cain either for Montauk or their friends that he'd killed elsewhere. 

"Can we offer an apology payment? My Guild isn't large, especially not now, but we've got crafting materials from the Giant's Dungeon in Assah. Nothing personal, it was just the chance for an alliance with a Guild powerful enough to run a city." One Dwarven Paladin offers. 

"Yes, we do accept bribes, I mean apologies, as long at they're sincere." Cain agrees. That moves them quickly through the small Guilds, leaving them with only one Guilded member, a level 22 Werewolf Cleric, Guild Master of the Red Moon Pack. 

"Well, little werewolf, what's the decision?"

"I, um, I don't know where the rest of my Guild is. I don't really do these things, I just came because they needed a Healer. Can we wait for them?" 

Ouch, she hasn't realized, or hasn't accepted, that all her friends are dead. The only time Cain can think of that a Guild Matter title would be passed automatically would be to the last member in the Guild.

"How about you come over here and wait by me? If they show up, you'll be able to see them right away." Cain suggests, pointing at his feet and the shell-shocked Cleric comes over and sits down in the sand. 

"Now, for the rest of you. Some of you are bandits, orange and red flagged as criminals and murderers. I'm not the sort that lets that go lightly. But as there's only about a dozen of you, turning you in to the authorities should suffice. The Traveling Merchant's Guild is more than a little upset with your recent antics."

That's a serious understatement. A good chunk of them would likely be hanged if they were arrested, but that's not really Cain's concern. 

"For the ones without criminal flags, I'll offer you the same deal that Wave Riders offer Pirates. Empty your inventory and your gear onto the ground and walk away in your skivvies. It's half a week north to Assah, so keep your food and water and one blanket or cloak." Cain indicates North and the bandits look glum. Even taking up their old profession would be hard without a sword to threaten people with. 

"I'm just a petty thief, with 2 days left on my flag. I don't suppose I could walk as well?" One bandit asks. 

"You know what? I'm feeling generous. Anyone not flagged a murderer can walk away if they leave everything behind. The Red flags will be going to Montauk for trial."

Every one of the Orange flagged criminals takes up that offer, dropping at least enough on the ground to look like they complied before walking away to the north in their underwear. That leaves just four behind. You've pretty much got to kill someone without an interface, by surprise or in their sleep to get the Red Flag, as mutual combat doesn't trigger it, so most bandits are just flagged as criminals. 

Cain releases two more of his Oath Breakers, making it one for each remaining bandit. 

"These fine Demonic gentlemen will take you to jail. Best of luck to you and I hope you can prove your innocence."

The Oath Breakers each take one person into their arms and Cain motions them away, causing the werewolf beside him to sigh in relief. 

"Anyone you know?"

She shakes her head "No, I'm just glad you're showing some mercy. I doubt they would have if they won." 

"We're not a bad group, just misunderstood sometimes." Cain smiles back, trying to reassure her that she's safe. 

[Oath Breakers, take those four into the desert. Kill them and bury the bodies.]

"I don't know a kind way to say this, but I believe your Guild is gone. They either died in battle or left the Guild." Mythryll says gently. 

The werewolf nods. "I checked the logs. They're all gone. What do I do now though? Can I go home to the Pack house with just me? Are we even still a Guild with only one member?"

Cain looks up the Guild information for the Red Moon Pack and sees that they're registered in Montauk with one Guild House. 

"You could sell the house if you don't want to recruit more members, maybe join another Guild? Do you know another one you trust?"

She shakes her head again. "I was born there, in that house. That's all I knew."

Well now that's just depressing. The aftermath of Guild Wars always tugs at the heartstrings, even with whatever effect the system has applied to the transfers that makes them so numb to death and their own mortality. 

"Why don't I introduce you to someone? A really friendly werewolf I think you'll get along with?"

[Belle, can you come to the Castle? I need you to meet someone.]

[Do you have any idea what time it is? I'm on my way anyhow though. I was going to do a dungeon with Misaki and some others.]

"Mythryll, can you head to Montauk and turn in this Quest while we're all still in a Raid group? If we do it now, everyone will get the full completion."

"No problem, I'll be back in a couple minutes." The mission hall is very close to their house in Montauk after all, going there and back isn't much of a trip. 

Belle comes out of the Keep just as Mythryll enters, pointing the werewolf to the spot outside the walls where everyone is gathered. Belle has no idea what just happened here of course, as they kept it out of Guild chat, and nothing was damaged that would trigger the Guild wide notification. Oddly, they also didn't get a series of Guild War notifications either, as Cain had expected.

Cain is not sure if it's because they were organized as a combined army, or because they were representing Gillibrand, who was Unguilded, but that answer will have to come later, since he has no way of finding out right now. 

"What's all this?" Belle asks as she reaches the top of the wall near the remaining Guild members with her Summoned Second in Command Xander following her. 

"Laura, kindly go grab them would you? One each. We had a minor incident here last night, nothing to be too concerned about. But we've got a lone werewolf, last of her pack that I thought you should meet. She definitely needs a friend right now."

The Dragons set the two down next to the young Cleric who is staring at them in adoration, a side effect of Belle's Pack Leader Class. 

"Hi, I'm Ginger, from the Blood Moon Pack. Our at least I was when there was a Blood Moon Pack." The Cleric begins before turning melancholy. 

"I'm Belle, and this is my Second, Xander. It's good to meet you Ginger. You said there is no more Pack? What happened?"

Cain facepalms at his oversight. He should have mentioned that they just finished killing them all. Hopefully this can be recovered. 

"They were with a group of bandits and a con artist who tricked them into attacking the Castle. She's the last one left from her Guild, so it gave her Guild Leader automatically." Misha explains softly. 

Belle walks over and pats the ginger orange hair that the wolf was likely named after, before pulling her to her feet. "Let's see what we can do. You look like you need a long hot bath."

She then turns to Cain with a forced smile. "Tell the others I'll be missing out on this dungeon run. Maybe next time though."

"Thanks Belle, I had a feeling she needed the help of a werewolf, and you came to mind first. See if you can get her settled and decided what she wants to do moving forward. She's always welcome to join us if she wants."

With a curt nod she drags the Cleric away to where Laura is waiting to carry them all back inside the castle instead of walking all the way around to the gate.. With their departure, the desert goes silent except for the gentle wind and the sound of shifting sand.