Strax let out a deep sigh, his gaze shifting between Samira and Rogue, who had been taunting each other incessantly ever since Rogue joined the group. It was as if one's presence amplified the other's provocations. Samira crossed her arms, throwing challenging glares, while Rogue wore a feline grin, her cheetah ears slightly angled forward, clearly enjoying the tension.
"You two... do you really have to keep this up?" Strax muttered, exasperated. "We have more important things to discuss."
"She started it," Samira shot back, not even looking at him, her focus still on Rogue.
"I started it? Oh, please, Samira, you just can't admit that Strax enjoys my company," Rogue teased, the smile on her face growing as she moved dangerously close to Strax.
"Enjoys? Strax doesn't even like his own shadow when he's annoyed!" Samira retorted, stepping forward, her battle spear in hand, as if she was ready to settle things then and there.
Strax, already used to Samira's provocations and Rogue's playful attitude, simply raised his hands, a gesture of surrender.
"Enough. Before one of you actually kills me, Rogue... can we talk about something important?" he said, his voice serious but still carrying the weight of fatigue from the situation.
Rogue blinked her feline eyes innocently, as if she wasn't constantly on the verge of instigating a fight. She took a small step back, still wearing that mischievous grin, her tail swaying provocatively.
"Of course, 'darling,' what would you like to know?" She scratched her chin with one claw, glancing at Samira out of the corner of her eye.
Strax looked at her firmly, deciding to cut straight to the point, ignoring her flirtatious attempts.
"You dissolved the guild... but why? It wasn't clear to me what the real reason was. Dissolving a guild isn't something you do overnight, and, honestly, Eudoria was doing fine when we left. So, what happened?"
Rogue seemed to lose some of her relaxed posture, a flicker of seriousness crossing her gaze. She sighed, crossing her arms and finally focusing on Strax, momentarily leaving Samira out of her provocations.
"Ah, so that's what's been bothering you?" she asked, her voice lower. "The city of Eudoria... it's simply no longer livable. Kryssia's Ice has taken over everything, and when I say the ice is everywhere, I mean something that doesn't melt, no matter what we do."
"What do you mean?" Samira interrupted, skeptical. "The ice... doesn't melt? There has to be a way to counteract it."
Rogue shook her head slowly, her feline eyes glimmering with a contained sadness.
"Believe me, we tried. All kinds of magic, artifacts, even the heat from the local salamander flames. Nothing worked. Kryssia isn't just a simple freezing spell. The power she unleashed over Eudoria... it's as if time itself froze along with the ice. The streets, the buildings, the people... everything is trapped in an eternal winter. My guild... was the last thing I tried to keep running there, but, in the end, there was no point in fighting anymore."
The silence that followed Rogue's words was heavy. Samira glanced over at Strax, her expression of disbelief slowly being replaced by a growing sense of unease.
"If we're smart, yes," Rogue said confidently. "But to do that, we need a solid foundation. We need to recruit the best. And, most importantly, we need to move quickly before anyone realizes what we're doing. It's a risky bet, but the biggest victories usually are, right?"
Strax finally let out a long sigh, feeling the weight of the decision looming over him. On one hand, there was the safety of following a more predictable path, but on the other, the opportunity to create something truly great.
"You make a good point," he admitted. "But this won't be easy. We can't just start a guild from scratch and expect everything to fall into place. We'll need resources, allies... and trust."
Rogue tilted her head to the side, her feline ears twitching slightly, and her smile returned.
"Trust? I've got more than enough in you, Strax. And I know deep down, you trust me too... at least enough to give me a chance." She winked, her voice soft and teasing, returning to her playful tone.
"Not this again..." Samira muttered, rolling her eyes. "If anyone's going to lead this new guild, it'll be us. You can help, but no games, Rogue."
"Oh, Samira, you're so rigid sometimes," Rogue replied, her voice dripping with mock innocence. "I'm just trying to contribute. After all, we all have our talents, don't we? And mine... is being irresistible."
Samira made a move to draw her spear again, but Strax raised a hand to stop her.
"Enough. If we're doing this, it's serious. I don't have time for games right now. We'll need to plan everything carefully if we want this new guild to succeed. Rogue, do you have contacts? And how many of your former guild members can you still reach?"
Rogue stepped back slightly, her expression finally shifting to something more focused.
"I have a few, but most have scattered. I'll need time to track them down and convince them. But it's not impossible. As for contacts... I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve."
Strax nodded. He looked over at Samira, who crossed her arms, reluctant but seeming to accept that this was the only way forward.
"So, that's it," Strax said calmly. "We'll start a new guild. A new base. And break free from the Duchy... but everything needs to be done right."
Samira shrugged.
"If that's what you want, Strax, I'm with you. But don't think I'll let this cat play with fire for too long."
Rogue grinned, satisfied.
"Great. Let's get to work. The Duchy won't know what hit them."
And with that, the future of a new guild in Vorah began to take shape.