22 Leisure Guild (1/2)
”What happened to the Leisure Guild?”
Jack froze when he heard Rydel mention his former guild by name. Earlier Jack had realized that the many characters played by gamers were living, breathing heroes in ancient Kartonia, but personally hearing his guild's name confirmed it without a doubt.
”What happened to the Leisure Guild?” Rydel repeated himself. He wasn't antsy, but he could tell that Jack was distracted and wanted to make sure he got an answer.
”We disbanded.” Jack finally gave his hushed answer.
Rydel was astonished by that statement. Not only because Jack said it disbanded, but Jack said ”we” specifically. ”You were part of the Leisure Guild?”
”I was a cofounder.” At the time, Jack needed to start a guild and get it to control a nation as one of the strange achievements. It was too difficult for most players, but Jack_J the Achievement Junkie was up for the challenge.
”You were… a cofounder…” stammered Rydel. ”But that means you… you helped start the Trodan Council.”
”Yeah, I occupied the second seat. But like I said, we eventually disbanded and went our separate ways.”
”But why?” asked Rydel.
”It wasn't in our control.” It was too complicated to explain how his online friend and cofounder in the first seat quit ”A Hero's Tale” along with most of the other main members of the guild. One thing led to another and it wasn't able to sustain itself.
”But if you disbanded, how come the Leisure Guild is still around?” questioned Rydel.
”What did you say?”
”The Leisure Guild is still around. It's nowhere near as powerful as it was during ancient times, but it's easily the oldest guild in Trodar, maybe even the entire continent,” clarified Jack. ”It's one of the weaker major powers in Gilga and doesn't have too much influence anymore, but many people still admire and respect it for all the good it had done for Trodar in the past.”
Jack didn't know how he should feel about that, let alone respond. When the Trodan Council was formed, it was originally filled by only members of the Leisure Guild. In modern Trodar, Jack guessed that it would be lucky to occupy two seats out of the eleven.
”Are you sure you don't remember any of your former titles? I'm sure I'd figure out who you were,” said Rydel, nodding his head like a dog expecting a treat from his owner.
”Honestly I don't.” Jack lied; thanks to some of the titles being part of achievements, how could he forget them all. But he didn't want too much attention, he felt that it would only get in the way of his leveling.
”Fine, I'll get you to admit it sooner or later,” claimed Rydel, guessing at Jack's motives. ”Anyways, records say that the Leisure Guild was once the strongest guild in all Kartonia, is that true?”
”In a way, it was. It's hard to say who was the absolute strongest, but our guild had achieved far more than anyone else's,” answered Jack. He was referring to the Leisure Guild being first on the achievement board, where they were the undisputed king until they disbanded.
Pride and respect swelled through Rydel when he heard Jack confirm the fact. ”What about the ancient guild wars? Was the Leisure Guild really the most powerful?”
Laughter rang out from Jack as he put two and two together, realizing Rydel was talking about the guild wars PvP event from the past. ”We weren't the most powerful, but we were definitely one of the top three.”
”That's still awesome!” Rydel was like an excited child that was easily enthused.
”What can you tell me about Trodar? It's been a while since I've been there personally,” said Jack, trying to get some information of his own.
Rydel shrunk when he heard Jack and lost his pent-up excitement. He took his time to breathe and think, throwing Jack for a loop. After making Jack wait for almost a minute, Rydel said, ”I'm not sure. I was born there but I fled the country when I was a few years old.”
”What happened?”
”You want to go to Trodar to help the war effort, right? Well, my parents tried to escape the country before the travel ban was put in place. We made it past the border, but my mother and I only survived because my father led some soldiers in a different direction,” answered Rydel with a softer tone.
”My mother was distraught and wouldn't stop traveling north until there was nowhere left to go. That's what led to us stopping at a port like Reinolt City and to me later becoming an adventurer. I joined the association and turned down the bribe partially because the members of the Adventurers Association are some of the few people allowed to enter Trodar without too much hassle. There's still a massive entry and exit fee, but money comes and goes.”