Awe would be an understatement for what Dylan was currently feeling now that he arrived at Mystic Guild.
Well, he isn't in the guild yet but he's near. Though that doesn't stop him from being amazed and speechless by what he has been seeing and feeling so far.
The vibrant bounty of nature is what greeted him the moment he felt the world spinning around him. It's as if he had appeared in a different world entirely. The colors around him were so vivid that they made him almost believe that he has been blind before.
And then, he felt the warmth of sunlight caressing his skin. It was gentle and comforting, next he felt the crisp and cool breeze of air, making him unconsciously take in a deep breath. He could swear that this was the freshest air he had ever taken in his entire life.
But what blew him away in this place, was the sheer density of Mana.
Dylan felt as if he could just hold out his hand and touch Mana itself with how dense it was. Hell, he could feel his bottleneck loosening up just by being here! This place is that marvelous, no wonder the Guild Members are all so strong!
"Are you two done admiring your surroundings?"
Dylan twisted his neck so fast that he might've nearly given himself a whiplash. He had completely failed to notice the presence behind them, how long has she been here?
"Chill, I don't bite. Don't be so tense." The girl chuckled softly when she saw Dylan and Fred's mildly alarmed and defensive stance.
"May we know who you are?" Dylan asked, trying to be as polite as he could to not offend this lady.
Because if his instincts are still serving him right, then they absolutely couldn't offend this lady at all.
"My name is Aria." She replied to his inquiry. "Chief Artificer of the Mystic Guild, I'm also one of its Founding Members. I assume the both of you are Dylan and Fredrick?"
"Y-yes, that's us," Fred replied, looking a little too nervous. "Refer to me as Fred, though. Fredrick sounds a bit too tacky."
"As you wish." Aria shrugged at that. "Well, you guys will be given more time to admire this place, for now though, follow me. I'd show you around."
Aria didn't wait for them, she started walking away as soon as she said this. She's making it clear that she's not forcing them into this, if they want to explore the guild on their own, then they are free to do so.
But of course, how could Dylan and Fred even think about that?
Aria was one of the Founding Members of the Mystic Guild, and someone of her status shouldn't bother playing games with them, she knows this place like the back of her hand and if she's willing to spend her valuable time to help them out, how the hell could anybody expect them to waste that?
So, they scrambled to follow her...and of course, Aria noticed this.
"Every time you make a trip outside you'll end up in one of the Federal Centers scattered across Fantasia." She said, "Similarly, if you want to return here, then you can use the same method as well, and you'll find yourselves being transported around this general area."
"One day, when you're strong enough and made a decent amount of contributions to the guild, you might get the chance to have a personalized Transfer Platform that you can install in your homes here. By then, you can just use that instead since it'll be more convenient."
Dylan and Fred listened and remembered the words she was telling them.
"The Mystic Guild is in that direction." Aria pointed forward.
The two behind her craned their necks to see where he was pointing at. They then notice some kind of a beacon over where she's pointing.
"That light is an indication of where the guild is. Just follow it and you'll arrive there. This place is a bit on the larger side so we made that light really noticeable and pretty high up there so that wherever you all ended up in this place, you'll know where to go. That light never fades, even when it's nighttime."
"...why would anyone even be out here if they have homes in there?" Dylan couldn't help but ask.
"I've heard of several reasons before, and they differ based on who you ask." Aria replied, "Some would say that they venture around here to unwind. Some say that it lot quieter here and therefore more peaceful."
"People who are working on their anger issues go to the more barren parts of this place to release frustrations by allowing themselves to rampage all they want."
"The more secretive ones say that they're training in private, which I find lame since there is a formation in their homes that gives them enough privacy, but who am I to judge?"
"Others just like to camp outside they can and they want to, but the ones who use this excuse are couples who wanted to fornicate like rabbits or skinny dip by the river over in that direction." Aria pointed out.
Dylan and Fred were speechless by what they heard.
"...we're not that strict you know? On the contrary, we allow the members to have as much freedom as possible. Our responsibilities are heavy and the need to unwind from time to time is non-negotiable."
"If it helps you relax and allows you to keep your productivity high while also not harming the morals the guild stands for and its interest, by all means, feel free to do so. We will not stop you, hell we might even encourage you if the situation calls for it."
'Okay, that's like, the coolest shit I've ever heard.' Dylan inwardly remarked. He's not even aware that he's smiling and his eyes were shining as if he's a kid in a candy store.
"What are the rules and regulations of the Mystic Guild?" Fred asked.
"Glad you asked." Aria smiled as she continued walking, "It's fairly simple really. At its core, you just have to remember that we founded the Mystic Guild because Humanity needs it."
"Our actions, our missions, our very existence, all are dedicated to improving Humanity's condition and its protection."
"We are the protectors of our home, and one day, when we've grown strong enough, we will challenge the invaders and chase them out of our world. That is the purpose of the Mystic Guild's foundation."
"If you want to get a more detailed version of the rules and regulations, you can read the guidebook later. You will find that in your homes. But whatever happens, never forget what I said, and don't misinterpret it. Understood?"
"Yes." Dylan and Fred audibly replied.
Hearing all of that firmly solidified Dylan's belief that he indeed made the right choice by joining this faction.
The stuff he heard about the guild before wasn't all just for show, all of it was true. They exist for the betterment of this world. And the fact that they are willing to risk their lives for their ideals moved Dylan.
Aria talked about some more information about the guild as they walked towards it.
From her, both of them discovered that this place is called the Blue Marble Grotto Heaven. It's like an alternate dimension that has similar laws as the real one. Also, this place is just as huge as Fantasia, and all of it was just for the Guild's use for now.
Aria said that there were plans for expansion but even with that, the guild was far from utilizing every single square inch of this place. Plus, according to her, the guild was already large enough to cater to a thousand people, so the expansions aren't their priority.
Eventually, the three of them arrived near the guild itself.
For a second there, Dylan and Fred had forgotten to breathe. They haven't entered yet, they're just close to arriving in front of the gates, but the fact that they could almost see what's beyond it excites them to their core.
They just caught a glimpse of something magical and they already couldn't wait to see more.
When they reached the gates, both of them saw that there was nobody around. Instead, there's a statue of some soldiers lined up before the gates. They paused and Aria spoke to them:
"Don't be fooled. These statues are alive. They're Golems." She said, "If someone managed to infiltrate this place and arrive here, they will activate to apprehend them. I'd have you know that each of these golems is enough to thrash a Sorcerer or a Grandmaster Knight. They've never been activated before and hopefully, it stays that way."
Dylan and Fred involuntarily inhaled sharply when they heard that.
"If you want to pass by them safely, you must arrive here with your badges in you. One that is yours of course. Let them scan you and they shall open the gates and allow you entrance. Go on."
Dylan and Fred looked at each other before nodding. They then stepped forward and felt the golems' gaze roaming their body.
When the feeling went away, the golems suddenly moved and cleared a path for them. The gates automatically parted and for the first time, the two of them witnessed the magical scene behind the gates.
Aria walked ahead of them before turning around to face them. Then, she said:
"Welcome to the Mystic Guild, kids."
