The doors swung open, several Adventurer's Guild employees in black suits coming in.
They went in a straight line toward the middle enclosed area where everyone stood.
The new dungeon runners all stood as far away from the scene as possible, some with their backs against the walls.
Silver was the only one who had barely moved, concern across his face.
Alexander was flat on the ground, pinned beneath Titan who sat casually on his back.
"Finally…" said Titan.
Alexander tried looking up, to see what was happening to Fae.
Titan's crew were taking a closer look at her, while waiting for the officials to arrive.
"What's that mask?" asked one of them.
"Don't touch it," said Alexander, out of breath.
"I don't know," replied Titan, ignoring Alexander. "But it's a divine or nightmarish item."
"Really?" replied one of them.
Nightmarish? Divine?
Titan glanced at Alexander's face.
"Huh, you didn't know?" said Titan.
Officials started crowding the room, assessing the situation.
Jake was promptly lifted and taken out of the room, while every other dungeon runner taking the tests were guided out.
After one last look above his shoulder, Silver was the last one to leave.
Only Titan and his crew remained, with a single Adventurer's Guild representative.
"So, what happened?" asked the official.
Titan yawned while stretching his arms out.
"Well, as expected, Jake made the final test personal and went too far. I guess he didn't expect Veil's powers."
Hearing people calling him Veil felt weird, as if they were talking about someone else.
"I've done nothing wrong," said Alexander.
Titan's weight on his back increased even more, making him groan.
"And so, when Jake got his ass handed to him we intervened."
The official came around Alexander to take a look at him.
"I'd be careful if you're considering looking into his eyes. There's some sort of visual spells he's able to use to overwhelm people," said Titan.
The man quickly looked away, and saw Fae.
"How about her?" he asked.
"Who knows. She's his companion, it seems," replied Titan.
"This makes no sense…"
Titan finally got on his feet, leaving Alexander's back.
He could properly breathe once more, while his back still felt sore.
Alexander struggled back to his feet, his eyes instantly going for Fae.
"What are you doing?!" said Alexander.
He took a few steps toward Fae, and stopped when one of Titan's guys pulled the mask from her face.
For a moment, he forgot everything else. Her face. The way her eyes found his first. Like nothing had changed.
The man looked on both sides of the mask, throwing it at Titan who also took a look at it.
"Yup, nightmarish tier item," said titan, turning it in his hand.
"Figured as much…" said the official.
Titan threw the mask back to the guy holding Fae.
"So, are you human?" he asked.
She remained passive, her eyes locked on Alexander from across the room.
The man shook her shoulder, Alexander taking a step forward but quickly stopped by Titan's arm.
"You instructed her to not answer others?" asked Titan.
Alexander's eyes detached from her, looking at Titan who didn't look much different from a kid. A kid that looked like he had seen too much.
"She doesn't speak," answered Alexander, dry.
"Uh, really?"
"The mask somehow allows her to be slightly more expressive. Still, she can't talk."
Titan nodded at his guild member, who promptly put the mask back on her face and let her go.
"What are you doing?!" asked the Official.
"We've done our job. We've overseen the tests, and now they're done. Veil did nothing wrong, Jake's ego got him in his situation."
"And the mask?!"
Titan sighed. "Nightmarish items aren't illegal, you have no grounds to confiscate it. Unless you also want to take mine?"
The mood shifted, everyone in the room suddenly stood extremely still.
Titan's guild members all stared at the representative who could be seen becoming paler by the second.
After a moment that felt like an eternity, he finally spoke up.
"Of course not… Thanks… for your help today."
"Besides, he doesn't know how the mask works, he hasn't used it once," replied Titan, walking away.
They all followed him toward the elevator, leaving the official, Alexander and Fae.
The man sighed.
"Come with me," he said in one loud breath.
Fae rejoined Alexander's side, who stood still.
The man took a few steps but turned around as they weren't following in his steps.
"If you want to become Dungeon Runners you better be following me."
"And who are you even?" asked Alexander.
"The E-tier director. Your future depends on me, right now."
He turned once more, going toward the elevator.
Alexander shared a look with Fae, who seemed at ease.
After a short moment, they followed in the man's steps, heading toward the elevator.
They walked through the previous test rooms, where employees were already busy cleaning up everything left behind.
Once inside the elevator, the man pushed the 11th floor button.
"What's on the 11th floor?" asked Alexander.
"My office," replied the man.
A director with an office 40 floors from the top? Thought Alexander.
They followed him through a small corridor that led to a corner room with double doors and a name on a golden plate.
[ E-tier director Gardner. ]
He followed Gardner inside.
The large windows that went around his office showed how it was already night, the skies dark with no clouds in sight.
Still, from the amount of light emanating downtown, no stars could be seen either.
The office itself was spacious, the desk larger than any he had seen before, with piles of folders gathered at each corner.
Gardner sat in his leather chair, leaning back as soon as he did while tilting his head until it cracked.
Following his lead, Alexander sat before him, while Fae remained standing behind.
"I've read your file, you always wanted to be a Dungeon Runner, or so it says?" asked Gardner.
"My father was one. Since then, it's been my life's goal."
"Yeah… so it seems. Well, you better rethink your life goals."