Malicore was always hostile to its inhabitants. Sentients, of the good and bad sort, spent years honing their classes to fight back against the world and each other. Occasionally things would get out of hand, and small-scale skirmishes would turn into full-scale conflicts lasting days, weeks, or even months. And occasionally these would go even further and cause an entire species to reach a point of no return.

One such event led to the creation of the grand scale. All sentients have access to see this device in a small format through the system access. Yet those that are travelling around can see it for themselves on the island at the centre of Lazelin Lake.

By the will of the people, this scale shall feel the pain of the world and judge the coming of the end times.

Like a ticking clock, every tic was the heartbeat for the world. For many, shifting left was a blessing not to be taken for granted. The scale, for the first time in decades, however, began to shift to the right.

Among the hundreds of guilds scattered throughout the land, it came to matters of the most important. The best began to gather together and organise themselves beyond individual rankings. The unofficial guild table was created out of necessity to counter those who threatened stability by claiming to slay the strongest beasts, conquer the toughest dungeons, and traverse the Chasm farther than anyone else.

And thus Malicore saw the rise of the first high-ranking filled guilds.

Guild Ranking: 1 Trailblazers Guild master: Anders Frittenberg. Sentient rank: 3

Guild Rank 2: Above & below. Guild master: Terrence Partor. Sentient rank: 17

Guild Rank: joint 3rd Ponty pincers. Guild master: Declan O'Haara. Sentient rank: 6

Guild Rank: joint 3rd Zooport Counts. Guild master: Emcee Wotters. Sentient rank: 4

Guild Rank 4 - Unending toil. Guild master: Gangu Xi. Sentient rank 10

Guild Rank 5 Frantic, Forge & Co. Guild master: Ricardo Constanzo. Sentient rank 11

Guild Rank 6: Diligent Dungeoneers.

Guild master: Marlow Scaquzzi. Sentient rank 18

Guild Rank 7: E.L.A.S

Guild master: Halycon Fleur. Sentient rank 16

Guild Rank 8 Revitaliser

Guild master: Zainab Brovassa. Sentient rank 20

Guild Rank 9 Born of the shadows

Guild master: Glad Laks. Sentient rank 7

Guild Rank 10 Koudilon

Guild master: Interesting point. Sentient rank 8

Freelance agents:

Barry Bernard, Rank 9

Stonker's Rank: 5

***

Watchers from the guilds quickly reported back to their guild leaders.

People like Emcee Wotters, Gangu Xi, Glad Laks, Barry Bernard and Anders Frittenberg soon heard about the shift in the scale. The sixth meeting of the guilds has been organised to discuss global events.

Leaders and the highest-ranking members traversed their way across Maliterr. Emcee rode the winds with her group, while most of the others bounded across effortlessly on mighty steeds. The northernmost capital: Heartisia.

The conference was held in the private cabin of the Hankae Anders Frittenberg, ranked 3rd overall and head of the ranked one guild trailblazers. With golden hair and orange eyes, above the typical height of a Hanke yet with the muscularity of a Felidhan, Anders was far different from the average citizen of the western lands.

"I would say it was pleasant to see all of you here again, but as we all know, this meeting has occurred due to a change in the beat of the world." Anders stood beside a fireplace, holding a glass full of strong-smelling alcohol that was burning with a blue flame on top.

Halcyon Fleur was the last to enter the meeting and took it upon themself to reply first out of courtesy, "Apologies, I was held up with farming duties. "I'm sure everyone is aware of the reports coming from the lowlands, right?"

The creaks of chairs and the fire burning broke the awkward silences in between the ever-rising tensions among the group.

"Not just below land." Stonker said to Halcyon, "Koan lands in trouble, and so do you." Stonker stomped his foot hard on the floor, shaking the cabin and knocking the snow from the trees outside down to the ground.

Anders raised his hand up. "Stonker, relax, no need to be so excited. Yes, it would seem that trouble is brewing in many places at once, in fact. I know taking you away leaves your home bases exposed, but it's urgent we deal with the issues quickly."

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Gangu responded to Anders, "I think the real question is, which issue should be the priority in all this? Areya has already claimed several areas for herself. Revitaliser has managed to keep her away from Murk City and most of the surrounding areas, but her territorial advances are relentless."

"Fuck that bitch; she's the least of the concerns in my opinion." Emcee stood up quickly, sending her chair crashing through the cabin wall outside.

Gangu, the Dornam, was sitting there in a grey boilersuit, his bushy beard and dust-covered goggles covering most of his face. He sighed at the wrecked walls and took out his tools, beginning repairs.

I expect no less from the student of a legend like her.

The emcee, calming down, began to speak again, with authority in her voice, one lacking any other emotion, wanting to convey a serious tone.

"How have the greys managed to advance so quickly from an overwhelming group of bottom-barrelers to a somewhat strong force?"

"Traitorankers, lass, for them lot at least." Barry calmly stated.

Tension in the room turned sour. Anger was building amongst the guild heads.

Anders necked his drink in one gulp, placing the glass on the fireplace. "Four of them, to be precise. One of them… Was part of my lot."

"Anton was always suspicious," Glad Laks responded, her flowery attire shaking around from her tics.

"Never did I think he would stoop to aligning with that one of all people though." Marlow added, sadness in her voice. Her businesslike pantsuit didn't match the rest of the guild heads here; she was more of a paperwork lass than one to get her hands dirty.

"Anton will always be a heartless individual; there's no hope for someone like that," replied Tama; their oversized scythe really matched the guild aesthetic while almost slicing at anyone nearby.

Gangu finished repairing the wall and broke the overthinking in the room.

"So… Garfisk, Anton, Colt and Guido have, for some reason unknown, sided with Gobheads of all things? Someone take notes; let's get all our information down. I think some of us may know more than others due to geographical reasons."

The guild heads called forth their highest adjacent members and had them begin to write down everything they knew about each situation.

Anders preferred to take notes himself and sat at the end of his table jotting down what he was aware of.

The cold north became quiet outside as the night set in. Now the windows only showed darkness and reflections of a burning fireplace. The cosiness of the cabin was appreciated as time passed, and the heads could corroborate on the information gathered.

Terrence Partor of the Above and Below Guild. A green koanit that had a wise owl-like look about him spoke of what he knew first: "Things are stable where I reside in the Far East. That being said, one of my lot discovered an entire platoon of Ulvmann decimated near to Amuun's palace."

Together the attendees shouted, "NOTED!"

Declan O'Haara of the Ponty Pincers took his position next. A short, stubbly-faced man with no hair, thinner than anyone else in the room, wore a very plain-looking orange jumpsuit. "I can concur with Terrence on this matter. We had planned a training exercise there when we encountered the officer from above and below reporting on the matter. Besides that matter, New Stonks City and its surroundings are quiet."

"We at Zooport Counts, along with Born of the Shadow, failed to figure out the mystery of the white lights in the Koan lands. Though we can assume, due to the proximity of it, that it may be related to the sudden rise of the mandems gaining power. A similar event happened at Et-Navn and was dealt with by a group of adventurers, though it's not clear how exactly they managed it, and interrogations didn't lead to any results on the matter."

"Ah, the Von residence... This I did hear about. "How peculiar, their home was destroyed in the events there; is that correct?" Ricardo asked. A golden brown and very fluffy happy-looking huundhan with eyes that were covered by his downward-flopping ears. wore a casual purple satin robe. A musket rested on his back.

"That's correct. I believed due to his past, Guido was the number one suspect here... That was until I, along with three others here, encountered members of the same group that manipulated the Brokeslang residence and the now Republic Un Nom Generique."

"Bompeeyo made an appearance in that event, didn't he? I would like to hear the account of events that day," said Terrence.

"Yes, he did. So what did you find out, Emcee? Marlow asked, leaning in closer to hear what she had to say.

Though Barry interjected and spoke for her, "I am pretty in with that particular group. Sort of mentoring them here and there. I was told on that side, mun, some guy speaking Valisisk and Lissic appeared.

"WHAT!?" Anders stood up after hearing the words. The rest of the room were just as shocked to hear.

"That can't be... It's a dead language, and the colossi have never taught anybody their tongue..." A face full of rage was on Anders' face; he was far from happy to hear such a controversial thing.

"There's more mun. That group had a 40-man-strong alliance, and they barely managed to kill him; then a bright white light with the mark of Serilia shone down and brought him back to life. He changed completely; the bodies, man, there were so many, obliterated. The place was a state too. If it wasn't for an idiot soldier disconnecting a battery again, they would have all died for sure. He fought without Kaha and luth, they told me.

"Something seems to be happening about the place. I can feel it; something's wrong..." Tama said loudly.

Ricardo laughed at the situation. "So let me get this straight... A man appears and annihilates a somewhat average force. Then he manages to get killed and is then revived by the goddess herself in some strange manner. He speaks two very ancient languages and can fight without Kaha and Luth? Is that what you're saying?"

Barry shook his head. arrogant git. "No mun, He fought against Bompeeyo 1v1 too. It's debatable if it's the most important part or not, but I have not heard of anyone daring to face off against one before. especially not when I'm out of eight of them."

"King Blau also died during all this madness. It seems the man that fought was the culprit, at least for this particular event." Marlow stated.

"No," said Barry, "not just him. The group he's part of, Rising Dawn."

"Is that what those rambling purple-robed cultists are part of?" Asked Tama.

Shaking his head, Barry replied, "They're also ones we need to watch out for. But no. This Rising Dawn appear to be fanatics of Serilia. They're a group of well-dressed individuals that appear to target wealthy or important figures around Maliterr and use Manipucents on them."

"Ugh. I thought we contained them all!" Declan shouted, placing his head in his hands afterwards.

"Unfortunately not, it seems," Emcee interjected and continued speaking. "There's a lot happening, mostly around the middle of the land. contained for now, but that doesn't mean we can sit by idle."

Anders calmed himself. His rage was at boiling point; the others in the room could feel it. The luth he was giving off was overpowering for the lesser-ranked individuals in the room until he began to control the wave of emotions going through him. "He folded his arms, speaking to the members present, 'What else is there to mention? Spare no details regardless of the severity.'"

"Well, that cult is one for sure. It seems their commander, a young woman, is a phenomenal combat expert. She was able to fight Guido and the other three traitor rankers aligned with the Gobheads by herself," said Declan, taking his hands away from his face to speak.

"She will be trouble. I suggest we make it a collaborative effort before engaging with that one, don't you all agree?" Anders asked.

'NOTED', the members said.

Standing up and dusting himself off, Anders rallied the other guild leaders, "Let's not waste any more time; we form up parties to deal with the issues at hand."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.