Chapter 8: The Quartermaster

The automatic doors of the hospital hissed open, and for the first time in months, Estella Everdawn stepped into the world.

Whoosh.

The sound of the city hit her like a physical wave. Bastion Seven was loud. Massive, holographic billboards flickered against the sides of skyscrapers that seemed to touch the clouds.

In the far distance, the Great Wall loomed.

A thousand-meter-high slab of gray concrete and steel that protected millions from the horrors of the Dead Zones.

Estella staggered as her hand flew to her eyes to shield them from the bright neon advertisements.

"It is... a lot," she whispered.

Draven stepped in front of her, naturally blocking the path of a group of hurried office workers.

He did not say anything, but waited for her to adjust. He stood like a solid anchor in the middle of the chaotic crowd.

’He is not even flinching,’ Estella thought, looking at the back of his head.

’How is he so calm? It is like he has survived in a monster-infested war zone his whole childhood.’

Estella had not seen much of the world but has definitely seen hardcore veterans of the cult who has visited her during her confinement. She could feel the same aura as of those veterans from his stature alone.

"Keep your head down and follow me," Draven said.

He reached back and grabbed her hand. His grip was firm and grounding.

"We have a list of objectives. First, we need to look like we belong here."

They walked for ten minutes until they reached a high-end commercial district.

Draven led her into a large boutique filled with racks of modern clothing.

To him, this was a logistics run. To Estella, it felt like a dream.

"Pick five outfits," Draven said, handing her a shopping basket.

"Nothing too flashy. We need durable fabrics. But get at least one dress for social situations."

Estella wandered through the aisles, her fingers brushing against soft cottons and silks. She picked out a simple white sundress and a few pairs of sturdy black trousers.

She kept glancing back at Draven, who was busy picking out tactical cargo pants and dark hoodies for himself.

"Draven? Does this... look okay?" she asked, holding the white dress up against her frame.

Draven turned. He looked at her, his eyes scanning her from head to toe with that same analytical focus he used on the mana orb.

"The color suits you," he said. His voice was flat, but he did not look away immediately.

"It makes you look less like a ghost. Get it."

Estella felt her face heat up. She quickly turned back to the rack.

’He said it suits me,’ she thought, her heart doing a nervous little dance. ’Does he think I look pretty?’

The next stop was significantly more awkward.

Draven stopped in front of a shop filled with lace and silk. Underwear.

Estella froze at the entrance, as her face turned a deep, vivid red.

"We need to go in there?" she squeaked.

"You need base layers," Draven said, his tone as blunt as a hammer.

"Unless you plan on going into combat without support. Go in. Buy what you need. I will wait by the door. If you like going ’Commando’, it is your choice. I respect your tastes."

Smack!

"No! That’s not it! You are such an idiot!" she slapped the shit out of him.

’Damn! I forgot she just got 18 years old! She must be shy at these things. I must have been considerate!’

Estella hurried inside, her head bowed in shame.

She looked at a pair of naughty underwear, but did not have the intention to buy it.

The woman shop clerk looked at her meaningfully as she followed her gaze to the underwear and back to Draven.

"Hello, mam! This piece has been quite famous among couple these days. Would you like to try it on?" she greeted her with a smile.

"O-oh! No! I was just looking!", she was surprised.

"It is absolutely fine to be shy when buying these. Your boyfriend outside will definitely love them. I swear." she continued as she could smell some good fortune.

"B=boyfriend?!", she stammered. "Do we look like a good couple?"

This was the chance of the clerk, "Of course! Please allow me to show you a few more of our trending pieces. We also have some training bras suited for Awakeners too."

"Oh, thank you!"

Every time she picked up a pair of silk undergarments, she could see Draven standing outside through the glass.

He was just standing there, arms crossed, looking at the street as if he were guarding a military outpost.

’This is so embarrassing,’ she thought, hiding her face in her hands.

’But he is actually waiting. He did not just leave me to do it alone.’

When she finally emerged with a stuffed bag, Draven took it from her without a word.

"Is that everything?" he asked.

"Yes," she whispered, still unable to look him in the eye.

Draven walked to a quiet corner of the mall, away from the cameras. He focused his mind on his internal space.

Ding.

[Inventory Accessed.]

[Current Capacity: 12 lbs / 100 lbs.]

He willed the shopping bags to vanish. In a flicker of blue light, the clothes disappeared into thin air. Estella gasped, her eyes wide.

"Where did they go?"

"A pocket dimension," Draven said.

"It is a side effect of my foresight. I can store tactical supplies. It makes us more mobile."

He checked his mental map. They had spent about five thousand credits. They still had plenty of ammunition left in the form of cash.

"One more stop," Draven said.

They entered a specialized Hunter Gear shop. This was where the "Commander" in him really came out.

He bought two high-tensile combat knives, a set of reinforced leather gloves, and two heavy tactical cloaks treated with mana-resistant fibers.

He handed one of the cloaks to Estella.

"Put it on," he ordered.

"The hood will hide your hair. We are A-Ranks, but we are still two kids without a Guild. We do not want to attract a syndicate looking for an easy payday."

Estella wrapped the heavy, dark fabric around herself. It was warm and smelled of new leather. She felt safe inside it.

"Where are we going now?" she asked.

Draven looked toward the center of the district, where a massive building with a silver eagle crest stood tall.

"The Hunter Guild," Draven said. His eyes grew cold and sharp again.

"We have the IDs. Now we need to see if we can actually fight. I am not going into the Academy entrance exams without knowing our limits."

"But why the Hunter Guild? I have never killed anyone before! I-" she was interrupted by Draven.

"Don’t worry! You are stronger than you think. I will teach you the basics. As your level goes up, you will be good on your own."

"Good on my own? Will you leave me after I am strong enough?" she asked with concerned voice.

"No! I will never leave you. We will save this dying world together."

They walked toward the Guild, a pair of dark-cloaked figures blending into the shadows of the megacity.