Guild Double D’s

⚔ DAY 5 — “THE GOBLIN HAD BETTER STAY OUT OF TROUBLE”

Lala’s Journal

The final exam involved an old haunted schoolhouse.

Because apparently “safe learning environment” isn’t a thing here.

Tara was handed a folding fan with a hidden dagger.

Naturally, instead of stabbing anything, she used it to rescue the tiniest Sparkle Goblin I’d ever seen after his satchel got tangled in enchanted vines.

Then an ancient guardian showed up.

I was preparing for dramatic last words.

Instead…

Everyone became friends.

Honestly, this school is exhausting.

🖤 Today’s Discoveries

🪭 Hidden daggers are surprisingly useful.

✨ Kindness ruins perfectly good dramatic endings.

🙄 Tara was right again.

I hate that.

💚 The tiny Sparkle Goblin is officially under guild protection.

✨

🌅 FINAL WRAP-UP — “I’M NOT GETTING EMOTIONAL”

Five days ago we were strangers trying to pass entrance exams.

Now we’re somehow a team.

Tara found another conspiracy.

John found another reason to sigh.

Julie learned something fascinating.

DeNae took care of everyone.

Laura made everyone feel like they belonged.

Nikita proved exactly why she deserved to be here.

And Sir Rowan…

Well…

If anyone hurts the tiny Sparkle Goblin…

They’re answering to me.

Don’t make a big deal out of it.

I’m still sarcastic.

I just happen to like this particular group of weirdos.

Now let’s go find our next adventure.

And preferably one with fewer enchanted vines.

Отредактировано Lala (2026-08-07 04:01:30)

Подпись автора

LaLa a3d26b
Guild Double D’s

Guild: Double D’s

⚔ Day Five — The Hunter's Choice
Found Item: Fan with a Secret
For the final examination, each applicant entered an abandoned schoolhouse alone.
Nika carried only a feathered fan.
Hidden inside was a tiny silver whistle.
Deep inside the building she encountered an enormous beast.
At first it looked terrifying.
Then she noticed something else.
The creature wasn't hunting.
It was trapped.
An old illustration on the wall showed the same beast standing beside a hunter carrying a feathered fan.
Nika understood.
She blew the whistle.
The creature stopped.
Its fierce expression softened with recognition.
Instead of attacking, Nika unclasped the broken collar around its neck.
The great guardian lowered its head beside her.
When she emerged from the schoolhouse, the enormous beast calmly walked at her side.
"You didn't defeat the danger," Oksana observed.
"No," Nika answered.
"I understood it."
The headmistress smiled.
"That is why you belong here."
She placed the green cloak of the Hunting Lyceum across Nika's shoulders.
Not because she was the strongest hunter.
But because she had learned when not to fight.

✨ Epilogue — The Chronicle Remains Open
That evening the Guild gathered while I finished the Chronicle.
Each examination had taught Nika a different lesson.
The moon taught her to seek truth.
The toy sword taught perseverance.
The cup taught protection.
The flare taught leadership.
The fan taught compassion.
As I closed the book, Oksana touched my hand, and said softly, "Leave it open."
"Why?" I asked.
"So the next stubborn girl who walks through these gates knows she won't be the first."
Outside, beneath the moonlight, Nika walked across the courtyard in her new green cloak, with the old guardian beside her.
She had come hoping to prove everyone wrong.
Instead...
She had become exactly the kind of hunter the Lyceum had been waiting for.

Отредактировано BrownGunner6864 (2026-08-07 06:20:09)

Подпись автора

D8ab2f

Guild: Double D’s

Guild Quest.  Day 5.  The Hunting Lyceum - Exam For The Stubborn
Guild:   Double D’s

DAY 5 — "EXAM WITHOUT A CORRECT ANSWER"
The Combat Rolling Pin

From John's Perspective

The fifth dawn broke clear and cool over the Hunting Lyceum.

The banners hanging from the towers stirred gently in the morning breeze, and for the first time all week, the courtyard felt... peaceful.

Not quiet.

Expectant.

Five days earlier, Nika had walked through these gates determined to prove something to everyone else.

Now, watching her cross the courtyard with that same weathered backpack slung over one shoulder, I wasn't sure she had anything left to prove.

She had already proved it to herself.

Tara watched from the steps, hugging her ever-growing Handy Dandy Notebook to her chest.

"I don't know if I'm excited or nervous."

"You've said both three times in the last minute," DeNae observed as she poured fresh coffee into travel mugs for everyone.

"I'm efficiently multitasking."

Julie smiled.

"I hope today's test isn't too dangerous."

Laura looked towards the oldest building on the grounds.

"It will be."

Julie glanced at her.

"You sound certain."

Laura nodded.

"The final lesson always is."

Lala folded her arms.

"I just hope someone gets a ridiculously strange weapon."

I laughed.

"You've been saying that all week."

"I have standards."

Just then Oksana joined us.

She looked towards the weathered stone schoolhouse standing alone at the edge of the grounds.

Unlike the rest of the Lyceum, this building showed its age proudly. Ivy climbed its cracked walls. Ancient claw marks scarred the oak doors, and every window reflected the morning light just a little differently.

"The House of Final Lessons," Oksana said quietly.

"No one enters together."

"No observers inside?"

She shook her head.

"Every hunter eventually faces a choice that no mentor can make for them."

Unlike the previous examinations, today's applicants drew lots in private.

One at a time, each entered the armory.

One at a time, each emerged carrying an object chosen entirely by chance.

Some smiled.

Some frowned.

When it was finally Nika's turn, she disappeared behind the heavy wooden door.

Several minutes passed.

Then...

she stepped back outside carrying...

...a rolling pin.

Not an ordinary kitchen rolling pin. A Combat Rolling pin!

This one was carved from ancient black oak reinforced with six concentric polished steel razor bands that looked sharp enough to cut granite. Strange runes spiraled around its length, and its handles had been wrapped in worn leather darkened by countless hands.

It looked solid enough to pound tent stakes into frozen ground or filet the skin right off of your garden variety monster.

Or flatten bread.

Or...

possibly...

all three.

Nika stared at it.

Then she laughed.

An honest, delighted laugh.

"I suppose," she said, "this is exactly the sort of thing I'd receive."

One mentor watched her carefully.

"Would you like another draw?"

She swirled the rolling pin experimentally.

"No."

"You're certain?"

"After this week?"

She grinned.

"I've learned better."

Tara nearly spilled her cocoa laughing.

"A combat rolling pin!"

DeNae blinked.

"... You know..."

"What?"

"I've actually seen my grandmother wield one."

"I believe that."

Julie smiled.

"In folklore, ordinary household tools often protected homes from evil."

Laura nodded.

"In many parts of Eastern Europe, bread-making tools were believed to carry blessings because they sustained life."

I smiled.

"So perhaps it's not such a odd weapon after all."

Lala looked impressed.

"I officially fear grandmothers."

"So do vampires," Oksana said with surprising seriousness.

We all looked at her.

She smiled.

"I'm only partly joking."

The great doors opened.

Nika stepped inside.

They closed behind her with a heavy boom.

Silence.

Unlike previous examinations, there was no viewing gallery.

No windows.

No way for us to see what happened.

Only Oksana seemed unconcerned.

"The house," she explained, "changes for every student."

Later, Nika would tell us what happened.

And I believe every word.

The interior resembled an abandoned village home.

A fire crackled faintly in an old hearth.

Dust drifted through shafts of sunlight.

The smell of fresh bread lingered in the air, though no one had baked there for years.

Every room appeared perfectly ordinary.

Which meant...

something was wrong.

Hunters across Europe tell stories of household spirits—some kind, some mischievous, and some dangerous. Among the oldest are tales of Voroviks, trickster creatures that delight in stealing useful things, hiding important objects, and turning simple tasks into impossible ones. Most are harmless, but when neglected or cornered, they can become stubborn, territorial nuisances.

The Lyceum had acquired one years ago.

It had become...

part of the examination.

Nika heard the giggling first.

Not children's laughter.

Something older.

Mischievous.

The pantry door creaked open by itself.

A loaf of bread floated across the kitchen.

Then a teapot.

Then a broom.

One by one, ordinary household objects began dancing through the room.

Finally, the culprit appeared.

Bare three feet tall, the Vorovik wore a patched waistcoat semitched from mismatched fabrics. Wild gray hair stuck out under a battered cooking pot worn as a helmet. Its pointed ears twitched constantly, and bright amber eyes sparkled with entirely too much amusement.

It bowed dramatically.

Then snatched Nika's backpack.

"Oh no, you don't."

The Vorovik darted under a table.

Nika chased it.

It giggled.

She zigged.

It's zagged.

Within seconds the entire kitchen had become absolute chaos.

Chairs skidded.

Pots clanged.

Drawers flew open.

Flour exploded into white clouds.

The little creature was not trying to hurt her.

It simply delighted in causing glorious confusion.

Nika stopped running.

The Vorovik paused.

She looked around.

There were no monsters.

No vampires.

No werewolves.

Just...

a very stubborn creature behaving exactly as trickster folklore said it would.

She smiled.

"So..."

she said.

"...you want to play."

The Vorovik grinned toothily.

It pointed triumphantly towards the rolling pin hanging loosely at her side as if to say,

"That's your weapon?"

Nika nodded.

"Fair enough."

She picked up a bowl.

Added flour.

Water.

A pinch of salt from the table.

The Vorovik blinked.

"What?"

She poured the mixture onto the table.

Then...

using the enchanted rolling pin...

she started making dough.

The runes carved into the oak glowed warmly.

The rolling pin flattened the dough perfectly smooth.

The wonderful aroma of fresh bread slowly filled the room.

The Vorovik sniffed.

Once.

Twice.

Its ears perked up.

Like many household spirits from old European folklore, Voroviks cherished homes that were lived in, cared for, and filled with food. They could be bribed neither with gold nor jewels...

...but warm bread?

That was another matter entirely.

The creature cautiously approached.

Nika tore off a small piece.

Held it out.

The Vorovik looked suspicious.

Then accepted it.

One bite.

Its expression softened.

It happily devoured the bread, then waddled over carrying Nika's backpack with both tiny hands.

It placed it politely at her feet.

Then bowed.

When she opened the front door a few minutes later...

the Vorovik followed.

Not because it had been defeated.

Because it had decided she was worth following.

The mentors waited outside.

Every one of them stared.

The little household spirit marched proudly behind Nika carrying the rolling pin like a ceremonial staff.

One mentor removed his spectacles.

"... Well."

Another looked at his notes.

"I don't believe anyone has solved it that way before."

The oldest mentor crouched before the Vorovik.

"Are you choosing to leave the House?"

The creature nodded enthusiastically.

Then pointed towards Nika.

The mentor laughed.

"I suppose you've made your decision."

Tara squealed with delight.

"HE'S ADORABLE!"

The Vorovik waved enthusiastically.

Julie knelt to pet the little creature's unruly hair.

"He's actually rather sweet."

"He stole six spoons while you were saying that," DeNae observed.

Julie blinked.

"... Oh."

Laura gently retrieved the spoons from under his vest.

"He seems to think borrowing is a hobby."

Lala crouched in front of him.

"I like you already."

The Vorovik immediately reached for the shiny buttons on her coat.

She laughed.

"See? Finally someone appreciates collectibles."

I carefully confiscated my compass before the little fellow noticed it.

The Vorovik looked mildly disappointed.

That afternoon, under the silver banners of the Hunting Lyceum, the applicants assembled one final time.

The oldest mentor stepped forward.

"This Lyceum has never sought the strongest."

He looked at each student in turn.

"Strength fades."

He continued.

"We have never sought the fastest."

Another mentor nodded.

"Speed eventually fails."

The oldest mentor turned towards Nika.

"We seek hunters who think."

He smiled.

"This week you have shown imagination when given nonsense..."

"Wisdom when offered toys..."

"Patience when denied glory..."

"Leadership when surrounded by fear..."

"And compassion when victory could have been achieved by force."

He handed her a sealed parchment bearing the silver crest of the Hunting Lyceum.

"Miss Nika..."

He bowed slightly.

"...welcome to the Lyceum."

The courtyard erupted in applause.

Even the Vorovik clapped enthusiastically, though it accidentally dropped three stolen teaspoons while doing so.

As the celebration wound down, I stood beside Oksana overlooking the courtyard where the newest first-year students laughed together under the evening sky.

"It's remarkable," I said.

"What is?"

"Five days ago, Nika thought being a hunter meant carrying impressive weapons."

Oksana smiled knowingly.

"And now?"

I looked towards the little Vorovik happily helping DeNae knead bread under careful supervision while Tara insisted on interviewing it about "possible alien ancestry".

Julie was feeding crumbs to the Lyceum's ravens.

Laura was quietly helping the younger students to organize their equipment.

Lala had already lost track of how many times I'd stopped her from touching enchanted relics.

Some things, I reflected, never changed.

"Nika learned that hunters don't earn respect because of what's in their hands."

I watched the Combat Rolling Pin resting against the old stone wall.

"They earn it because of what's in their hearts."

Oksana's eyes twinkled.

"The weapons were never the examination."

I smiled.

"I know."

She looked towards the great oak gates as they slowly opened to welcome the next generation of hopeful applicants.

"The hunters were."

Conclusion

As our Guild prepared to leave the Hunting Lyceum, I found myself looking back one last time at the towering walls that had hidden so many lessons. Each examination had seemed absurd at first—a Moon on a String, a Plastic Sword, a Seer's Axe meant for seeing rather than striking, an ancient Aztec Stone Medallion, and finally a Combat Rolling Pin. Yet together they had revealed the true heart of a hunter. Nika learned that wit could outmatch strength, that observation could overcome terror, that patience could preserve life, that courage meant standing together, and that kindness could accomplish what violence never would. Long after the monsters, illusions, and trials had become stories told around Guild campfires, these lessons would remain. We arrived at the Lyceum expecting to watch a young woman prove she belonged among hunters. We left having witnessed the making of one.

Epilogue

That evening, Nika stepped through the Lyceum's gates no longer as an applicant, but as a proud first-year hunter. Tucked in safely in her backpack was the letter confirming her acceptance, while her mind was already composing a cheerful reply to everyone who had insisted she choose more "ladylike" future. There would be time for that letter later. Ahead lay demanding classes, moonlit patrols, sleepless nights, and countless encounters with creatures that had yet to discover just how formidable a determined young hunter could be—especially one armed with quick thinking, an excellent memory, and a stubborn streak that refused to yield. Back inside the Hunting Lyceum, the mentors quietly watched her disappear down the road, sharing amused smiles as they agreed on one thing: with Nika among the new students, the coming school year was certain to be one none of them would ever forget.

день 5
гильдия Ежик в тумане

Нике досталась боевая скалка.
Кто-то из поступающих не удержался от смешка, но она лишь крепче сжала её в руках и вошла в учебный дом.

Внутри оказалось не свирепое чудовище, а перепуганный молодой грифон. Он метался по комнате, круша мебель и рыча от страха, потому что никак не мог выбраться наружу.

Ника не стала нападать. Она осторожно постучала скалкой по полу, отвлекая грифона ритмичным звуком, а затем медленно подвела его к распахнутой двери.

К удивлению наставников, грозное существо спокойно вышло следом за ней и послушно село рядом.

Наставник улыбнулся и поставил последнюю отметку.

— Лучшее оружие — то, которое помогает победить без драки.

А Ника окончательно убедилась, что настоящему охотнику нужны не самые грозные вещи, а спокойная голова, доброе сердце и немного смекалки.

Подпись автора

Даже тигры любят игры!
      🐅 Ррррррр! 🐅

               f1ec22