Age of Pieces: Tomb of The Season King

[OmniGawker]

AN: An old story back of mine back on Fanfiction.net with a lil bit of a writing clean up.

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In a small and dimly lit room there were a few huntresses and huntsmen that chatted amongst themselves. Each of them came in a variety of shapes and sizes but they were equally skilled and deadly with the varied form-shifting weapons that they all carried.

At least that was what An Ren observed as she sat in one the back most seats of the room tapping her fingers slowly on the table in front of her. Her pink eyes were half-lidded as her head rested in her left hand.

Now they were all waiting in the room for the same reason; a company man needed an armed escort for a research expedition and was willing to pay them a reward of ten thousand lien each though there a part of An that wasn't entirely sure if that was all to the job description but she was certain the lien reward would be enough for her.

However, everyone soon went silent when their employer-to-be walked in the room. A bald and dark-skinned man who wore a suit and tie that had a mix of Atlas ingenuity and Vacuo adaptability. He had an air that was a mix of professionalism and daringness permeating from himself as he held his head up with his hands clasped around his back.

The man however simply looked over the audience before him with analytical eyes for a few moments until he cleared his throat, "Welcome, all of you that have actually answered my help wanted sign on the web," he paused for a moment as if he expected a response of sorts but continued on, "My name is Said Din and I am the founder and owner of the Din Dust Mining Corporation."

He pulled out a remote from one of the lapels of his suit, pressed a button thus turning off the lights in the room and activating a projector to show a symbol consisting of a refined dust crystal overlaying a shovel and pickaxe crossed together on the blank wall behind him. A rather prideful smile adorned his face.

It was wiped off his face when everyone else in the room didn't react and began to murmur among themselves. Second thoughts no doubt.

An herself simply raised an eyebrow at the sight of the symbol. A rather new company from her point of view but it did sound a bit familiar yet there must also be something that this company had to offer her if the owner of it was willing to appear personally in this meeting.

Said made a loud cough to regain as much of their attention as he could, "A company that I'm pretty sure you've heard about if only due to the news, a courtesy of the..." Said closed his eyes as took in a quick breath while his posture slightly slouched, "Schnee Dust Company."

An nodded slightly at this piece of information, 'Ah, that company.'

Said straightened up before he spoke once again, "Now no doubt that any company that has been struck down to rock bottom must throw in the towel and leave the business to the winners," he adjusted the tie on his suit and gave a small grin.

"I for one refuse to run away from the dust business with my tail in between my legs," the projector clip changed again to show a new image, "So in order to get a leg up on the competition, or at least a fighting chance, I had my contacts within the CCTS Explorer guilds acquire me this map"

The projector now showed a land mass that was shaped like a winged dragon peering down at its prey during midflight. The Grimm lands.

The crowd of Hunters began to chatter uneasily among themselves for a few moments before the projection changed again and again from a closer view of the continent to an official looking outline of a stone structure. A pyramid that was seemingly both a mix and a precursor of the cultures of Remnant's Four Kingdoms.

Another change of the projection showed several grainy pictures of the towering pyramid which has a statue of a regal crowned man who in turn was surrounded four robed women bowing to him.

The surrounding crowd went silent at the sight. An however only put her hand down and sat upright in her chair. Her curious gaze on the architecture on the screen.

Said waited for his audience to take it all in, "I can see that I have your full attention but do allow me to allay any doubts, yes I believe that is the tomb of the Season King," The projector now showed a history book quality illustrated silhouette of a crowned man who had four floating spheres above his head, "Who, as legends say, nearly conquered all of Remnant with powers that have been said to be an equal to that of the Four Maidens combined."

Said made a small grin, "And we seem have found his resting place."

The audience remained silent and An was about to speak up until someone else spoke up.

"Now before you go on about it," Spoke up a huntsman who was garbed in a leather suit of armor adorned with a purple sash across the chest, "I have to ask for at least some of us here; what exactly makes you believe that's really it?" The huntsman leaned forward in his seat, "Who's to say that it's not another one of those false tombs like in the past few decades?"

An looked at the sash wearer contemplatively, there were a few hoaxes in the CCTS news broadcasts that had her husband giddy with wonder. She could never get used to his disappointed sulks when they were proven false.

Said raised an eyebrow at the huntsman before he answered, "The first question should have been; 'Has the city council approved of this expedition?' I would've given you a yes on that but since you asked about the reason instead; allow me show you."

The projector showed the grainy pictures of the ancient stone structure again only to show them in grayscale which then showed a blazing sun of color in the center of them.

"Those ruins never had this much energy in them and I believe that is going to be my company's saving grace in the dust business," Said pointed his remote at the doubting Sash wearer, "Now please let me continue,"

The huntsman complied with the suited man's words, a doubtful brow still raised.

"Now normally I'd have send in a mining and research expedition right away but since this tomb is no doubt deep within Grimm territory. I cannot take that risk when I have so few employees left latching onto my wallet," he took a deep breath, "So I decided to send in a comparatively smaller expedition team with as much of you around us as the security escort."

An could see the logic in that plan, less time spent in Grimm territory would lessen the likelihood of anyone getting swarmed by the those beasts. But that leaves the issue of pay...

Said clasped his hands together with small clap, "Now if you're worried about the pay, do not worry because when this expedition becomes a success, my company will be able to pay you the bounty four times over in the following weeks,"

Some members in the audience murmured agreeably to that notion even if there were a few that shook their heads.

Said finally deactivated the projector as the lights turned back on.

"Now I expect to see you at the location that will be designated on your scrolls so that we can get underway with our business. So until then," He gave his audience a small bow. "May you all have a nice night now," And he left the room.

Some of the doubting Hunters just shook their heads and left without even a look at their scrolls.

But a few more stuck around to start checking their scrolls when they beeped out a notification.

An was among them as she went over the details on her scroll. Free food and board for the few weeks of the expedition and a guarantee of pay.

Her finger paused over the acceptance button for but a moment before she remembered the weight of the bow leaning against her thigh.

Still feels wrong that it was in her hands but... no, she had to do it.

So with a quick breath to steady her nerves, she pressed Aceept