Twenty gold?! That's honestly a lot more than I expected! This is great! Now I can pay back Stella and Patrick's lickety-split! Lickety-split... hmm I don't know how I feel about that expression. I mean it doesn't make much sense. Well, not that other expressions make much sense but lickety-split seems to make even less sense than the others. Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked. Focus James. Plenty of time to think about nonsensical expressions later on.

"Thank you so much Guildmaster! This means a lot! I mean I was expecting good rewards but this goes above and beyond."

"Well, you've earned it James. And please just call me Eric.", the Guildmaster said with a grin.

"Oh ok great! Well, thanks for everything Eric. Now I'm gonna go and relax for a bit I gotta unwind from all of this action!"

"Ah yes I suppose that is correct. Well enjoy your break!", Eric replied, a trace of melancholy and envy appearing on his face for a second.

Oh, he must not get breaks. Yeah running this branch of the Guild must be a lot of work. I wonder if I'll be able to see another branch of the Guild at some point and I wonder if there will be any differences between them.

"Eric do you... do you want to come with me to relax a bit? A few hours can't put you too far behind schedule right?"

Eric smiled and went deep into thought. After scrunching and un-scrunching his thick eyebrows multiple times he stood up from his chair.

"I suppose I could go for a bit.", Eric said grinning at me.

"So do you wanna take the fast way or the slow way?", Eric asked me.

My face turned a slight shade of green and I reminisced on not too long ago when I took the 'fast way'.

Noooooooope. Nope. Nooooooooooope.

"Honestly Eric I don't think I can handle another lightspeed organ shuffler thingy doodle today."

"Alright fine.", Eric replied with a slightly pouty look on his face.

"Good. Now let's roll!"

Yet another expression. Maybe it's only meant for cars or other things with wheels?

So Eric and I set out and the breakneck speed of normal walking.

"See isn't it great to take things slow sometimes."

"Perhaps. Although it's certainly less exciting.", Eric replied with a huff.

... Of course, it's less exciting. We were at Mach 10 and now we're barely touching on 10 miles per hour.

"Yeah well, my stomach currently can't handle any more excitement."

Eric chuckled at that.

I really think I'd actually puke if I let Eric drag me along like he did less than an hour ago. I wonder if he went faster than sound. Oh, hopefully, people don't freak out since I'm bringing the Guildmaster around. Well, it should be fine since no one really knows who he is. Hopefully...

In no time at all, or all the time compared to Eric's speed, we arrived at the Big Keg Inn. I heard the familiar sounds of drunk people crashing into things and Stella screaming at them for doing so.

Ahh, home sweet home.

Eric looked equal parts concerned and confused with the ruckus that was going on inside and I decided I didn't want to wait for him so I took a risk and tried to pull the all-powerful Guildmaster inside. A few minutes later I was panting and had worked up a sweat.

What the flip is this guy made of?! Tungsten?! Why the flip won't he move?

By now the Guildmaster had long stopped being confused by the ruckus going on inside of the Big Keg inn and found a new form of entertainment, watching me trying to pull him into the building.

"Hahaha. Shall we go inside James? I don't want you to waste the rest of your energy.", Eric said with a slightly smug look on his face.

Fine you win you unmoveable superhuman being.

I could use a Movement Rune to do it but that would kind of feel like cheating. Plus I bet his clothes would move before he did and I definitely don't want to be responsible for stripping the Guildmaster in public.

I paled at the thought which didn't do much considering I was already pretty pale from attempting to move the Guildmaster.

Yeah, I guess I'll just have to concede for now.

"Fine but this isn't over. I'll get you one day."

"I'm sure you will.", Eric replied.

Then I entered the Big Keg inn, followed by the Guildmaster, and then by Dob and Lob. The first person that spotted us started cheering which didn't do much considering the cacophony of other noises that were being made. Eventually, enough people caught on to my entry that they stopped making a ruckus and stared at me with wide eyes.

"James!", a cheery voice called.

I looked over to where the voice had come from to see Stella coming toward me.

"Oh, it's good to see you. I thought you'd gone missing or something!", Stella said with an annoyed expression.

"Sorry. I did say that I'd be gone for a while though."

Stella paused at this.

"Yes, I suppose you did. Well regardless welcome back!"

"Thanks! Glad to be back.", I responded.

"Who's your new friend?", Stella asked, looking at Eric.

"Oh, that's Eric. He's... Eric."

"Oh, I see. Thanks for all the detail.", Stella said, rolling her eyes.

"Well nice to meet you, Eric. Do you need a room?"

"Ah, I'm okay. Thank you very much", Eric replied with a smile.

"Okay well do you guys want to order anything?", Stella shot back, looking at me again.

"Hmm. I guess an early dinner wouldn't hurt."

"Great! And I assume your two companions also want food?"

Dob and Lob gave Stella a thumbs up and smiled.

"Yeah good to see you guys again", Stella said before turning towards Eric.

"And do you want anything Eric?"

"Well...."

I gave Eric a thumbs up.

"I suppose I could have some. Thank you."

"Great no problem! You guys just find a table and I'll be right there!", Stella said with a grin before running off to put our meals together.

"Interesting girl.", Eric said.

"What do you mean?", I replied.

Eric just smiled and sat down at a near table which Dob, Lob, and I promptly also sat down at.