After what felt like an eternity of travel—endless hours spent flying on planes through the skies, rocking on the waves of a ship, and fighting battle after battle—they finally stumbled into the guild. None of them wasted a second. The moment their doors clicked shut and locked behind them, they collapsed onto their beds, exhaustion crashing over them like a tidal wave.
More than a full day passed before Aria finally stirred. Her body felt heavy, her limbs reluctant to move as she slowly blinked awake. "W-what time is it?" she murmured groggily, her voice hoarse from disuse. She turned her head, squinting at the small clock perched on the bedside table. 5:40 PM.
A yawn forced its way past her lips as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "...What day is it?" she mumbled, glancing at the calendar display just below the time.
23rd.
Aria's brows furrowed. "It's been more than a day?" she thought, a quiet sigh escaping her as she sank deeper into the soft embrace of the blankets. For a moment, she considered going back to sleep—but the faint murmur of voices drifting up from the lower levels piqued her curiosity.
Downstairs, in the guild's spacious lobby, Stiles, Dante, and SteelArm had been awake for hours. They sat around a sturdy wooden table, papers and maps sprawled out before them as they worked through a checklist. Unlike their usual days, burdened with quests and responsibilities, they had something rare ahead of them—a few days of freedom.
Dante leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "So, no major missions, no deadlines breathing down our necks… What the hell are we supposed to do with ourselves?"
SteelArm smirked, tapping a finger on the parchment. "Rest. Train. Get drunk. Maybe even cause some trouble."
Stiles chuckled, shaking his head. "Just don't get us banned from another guild hall."
Aria let out another sigh before finally deciding to get up. Her body still felt sluggish from the exhaustion, but a shower would help. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, stretched with a small groan, and shuffled toward the bathroom.
The hot water worked wonders, washing away the stiffness and leaving her feeling somewhat refreshed. After drying off, she rummaged through the closet, pulling out an oversized hoodie and a pair of soft sweatpants. Comfort over fashion, especially after the past few days of non-stop stress. She slipped them on, running a hand through her damp hair before drying off her hair and made her way toward the door.
With a yawn, she descended the stairs, her bare feet making soft thuds against the wooden steps. The warm glow of lanterns lit the guild's lobby, casting long shadows over the tables and chairs. Her team was exactly where she expected them—huddled around a table, deep in discussion.
Without a word, she plopped down onto the bench next to them, leaning forward against the table as she rested her chin on her arms. "What are you guys talking about?" she asked, her voice still heavy with sleep.
Dante smirked. "Figuring out how to spend our free time without getting arrested."
SteelArm chuckled. "Or banned from another guild hall."
Aria blinked, then sighed. "Why do I feel like I'm going to regret asking?"
Stiles raised an eyebrow, his gaze drifting down to Aria's bare feet. "More importantly… why are you not wearing shoes? Or at least socks?" He sighed, shaking his head. "You're going to catch a cold walking around like that."
Aria simply shrugged, pulling her hoodie's sleeves over her hands. "Too much effort," she mumbled, letting out a slow exhale.
Dante chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "And yet, you had the energy to come down here and interrupt our very serious, very important discussion about not getting arrested."
Aria rolled her eyes. "Forget about that. Let's just go shopping or something."
SteelArm smirked. "Shopping, huh? Didn't take you for the type."
"Yeah, well," Aria stretched her arms above her head before letting them drop back onto the table, "we've got a few days off, and I need new clothes. Besides, I'd rather do something than sit around and listen to you guys plan how to stay out of trouble."
Stiles rubbed his chin, considering it. "Not a bad idea. We do need to restock on supplies anyway."
Dante clapped his hands together. "Alright then. Looks like we have a plan—shopping trip. But let's be honest, we all know this is going to turn into something else by the end of the day."
Aria arched a brow. "Like what?"
He grinned. "I don't know yet, but knowing us? Something chaotic."
SteelArm let out a deep laugh. "He's got a point."
Aria sighed, pushing herself up from the table. "Whatever. Just try not to get us kicked out of anywhere this time."
Aria stood up and ran upstairs to her room before grabbing a pair of socks and shoes before putting them on and ran back downstairs to the group.
As Aria returned, the others stood, stretching and gathering their things before making their way toward the guild hall's exit. The evening air was crisp as they stepped outside, the streets buzzing with merchants, adventurers, and townsfolk alike.
"Alright, first stop—" Stiles began, only for Dante to cut him off.
"Food. We need food first."
Aria pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is already turning into a disaster." She thought to herself before sighing.
SteelArm clapped her on the back with a grin. "Welcome back to the waking world, Aria."
With that, the group made their way into the lively streets, completely unaware...
As the group strolled through the bustling city streets, they moved without a care—shopping for clothes, renting a car, grabbing food, and indulging in whatever caught their interest. The day was relaxed, ordinary even.
Until—
"We're looking for a few more people!"
A loud voice cut through the noise of the street. A man stood nearby, holding up a sign with just a few words: "Seeking People." Curious, Dante was the first to step forward, studying the sign before turning to the man.
"Looking for what exactly?" he asked.
The man extended a hand. "I'm looking for four or five people to help with a little... task." A smirk flickered across his face before he reined it in. "Name's Jimmy."
Dante took the handshake, and the moment their hands clasped, he felt it with just a handshake, at least S-rank, maybe higher.
"I see..." Dante said carefully, releasing the grip. "And what exactly do you need help with?"
"It's nothing much," Jimmy replied, his smirk threatening to return. "Just a bit of moving."
Dante turned and called the others over. "So, what do y'all think? Should we help out?"
Stiles narrowed his eyes at Jimmy, studying him for a moment before muttering under his breath, "Bald guy, pointy ears… yeah, this is definitely a kidnapping setup." He exhaled, then shrugged. "Screw it. Let's do it."
SteelArm nodded without hesitation. "I'm in."
Aria, however, crossed her arms and shook her head. "Tell me again why I must suffer alongside you two idiots?" She sighed before turning away. "I'm going back to the guild." Without another word, she walked off, navigating the city with ease.
"Guess that leaves just us three," Dante said, facing Jimmy again. "We're in, but it's only the three of us."
Jimmy paused for a moment, as if considering whether that was enough, then let out a short sigh. "Fine. That works." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small slip of paper and handing it to Dante. "Meet me here tonight at 3:30 AM. No later."
With that, he turned on his heel, walking away with a wide grin spreading across his face.
Dante glanced at the slip of paper, reading the address before pulling out his phone to check it. A quick search revealed an image of a large, upscale house. His brow furrowed. "Why are we going to a place like this?"
"Hey, check this out," he said, showing his phone to the others before shutting it off and slipping it back into his pocket.
Stiles raised an eyebrow. "Weird... but he did say it was for moving. Maybe he works as a mover for items, precious goods or something?" His gaze followed Jimmy as the man disappeared seamlessly into the crowd.
SteelArm stretched with a sigh before glancing at his watch. "It's 2:50... did you check how far it is?"
Dante pulled out his phone again, his eyes widening slightly. "Thirty minutes away. We need to move now!"
Without hesitation, he took off running, weaving through the bustling streets. Stiles and SteelArm sprinted after him, dodging pedestrians as they made their way toward their destination.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the property, slightly winded but alert. The large house loomed before them, its size even more intimidating in person.
Jimmy was already waiting near the side entrance, his bald head and pointed ears making him easy to spot even in the dim light. He wordlessly handed each of them a black mask and gloves.
"Put these on," he instructed. "It's just to make sure we don't leave fingerprints while we're moving things."
Stiles hesitated for a second before exhaling and slipping on the gloves, then pulling the mask over his face. Jimmy did the same. A moment later, Dante and SteelArm followed suit.
Dante glanced toward the house, his instincts tingling. "So... why exactly are we doing this in the middle of the night?"
They crouched behind some bushes, the quiet hum of the city fading into the eerie stillness of their surroundings.
Jimmy's smirk returned. "Because what we're moving… isn't exactly ours."
SteelArm narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
Before Jimmy could answer, he casually pointed toward a small group nearby. "You see that girl over there?"
The trio followed his gaze, spotting three young women chatting amongst themselves.
"Which one?" Stiles asked, eyeing the middle girl. "The blonde?"
"No," Dante muttered, studying them more closely. "It has to be the brunette behind them. That's who we're helping move, right?"
Jimmy let out a sigh and shook his head. Then, he firmly pointed at the girl in front. "The ginger. She's the one we're moving."
The air grew heavier with unspoken tension.
Before anyone could question him further, Jimmy reached into the bush beside him and pulled out a large black duffel bag, its contents unknown.
"So," he said, glancing at them, "what were your names again?"
Dante was the first to respond. "I'm Dante. That's Stiles, and the big guy is SteelArm."
Jimmy nodded, taking in their faces. "Alright. Stiles, you're on bag duty—carry this. SteelArm, you'll handle the heavy lifting. And Dante…" Jimmy's voice dropped slightly as he turned to him. "I need you watching the roads. This is a big move, and a truck should be arriving soon."
A smile tugged at his lips beneath the mask, a grin none of them could see.
The three exchanged glances but then nodded, falling into place.
Minutes passed in tense silence before Jimmy gave a signal. Stiles and SteelArm nodded, following him as they crept forward, hopping from bush to bush until they reached the front door of the house.
Without hesitation, Jimmy grabbed a rock and hurled it through a window with brutal force. The glass shattered, the rock sailing straight through the house and out into the backyard.
Inside, startled voices rose in confusion. The ginger-haired girl stepped out the front door, instinctively moving toward the noise. The other two girls ran toward the backyard, searching for the source of the commotion.
Jimmy counted down silently. Three… two… one.
Then he sprang from the bush.
Before the girl could react, Jimmy clamped a hand over her mouth, muffling her scream. SteelArm lunged forward, grabbing her legs and lifting her off the ground. She thrashed wildly, kicking at the air.
Stiles was ready. He yanked open the black duffel bag, and in one swift motion, they forced her inside. She struggled, but the bag was sealed shut within seconds.
SteelArm hoisted it onto his shoulder. They turned to leave—
Then Dante's voice crackled through their radios.
"Large brown moving truck approaching now."
Jimmy pressed his radio button. "Copy. Get back here. We have it."
Dante sprinted back toward them. As soon as he arrived, his eyes fell on the sealed duffel bag. His stomach twisted.
"...What the hell is in the bag?"
Stiles avoided his gaze. "Eh, you know." Dante exhaled sharply, but before he could say more, the rumble of the approaching truck filled the air. The vehicle slowed to a stop in front of them.
Then everything unraveled. The other two girls stepped into the front yard. Their eyes went wide with horror.
One of them bolted back inside.
"Shit." Jimmy hissed as the realization hit. "She's calling the cops."
No hesitation. Jimmy yanked open the truck's rear doors and jumped inside.
Dante and Stiles followed.
SteelArm hurled the bag in and climbed in after them.
The heavy door slammed shut behind them just as the truck roared to life and sped away.