Gale and his friends stood in front of a large building at the edge of Amul. It was as tall as the academy and the entry was framed by a large archway. Entering and leaving the building was a crowd of people, all carrying weapons and different sets of armor. This was the guildhouse in Amul, where all of the city's adventurers went to socialize and get new quests. Two weeks had passed since the exam and now they were taking on their first job as official adventurers.
"Alright! Time for our first quest." Annie said excitedly.
They went in and saw a large room with more adventurers standing around. At the other end of the room was a set of desks with receptionists behind them. On one wall was a large computer screen with multiple documents open on it. Underneath it were a set of computers with adventurers typing on them. Gale and his friends walked up to a receptionist wearing a green skirt with a white shirt, her blonde hair braided and draped over her shoulder. She turned to them with a welcoming smile.
"Good morning. Welcome to the Adventurers Guild, how can I help you?"
Tom spoke up, "We came to finish up our registration as well as try out our first quest."
"Alright, I can help with that. First, I will need your licenses."
Gale and his friends gave her their licenses. She looked over them and began typing on the laptop in front of her. A few moments later she turned back to them.
"Ok, you are all set. To the left is our message board that holds all of our quests. In case you are not aware, quests are ranked from E to S based on how dangerous we predict them to be. With your licenses, you are allowed to take on quests as high as C," She paused as she handed back their licenses. "But this is your first quest. I would recommend starting small."
The group thanked her for her help and went over to the board.
"Hey, look at this D quest. Apparently, this farmer is losing crops to a pack of Jackalopes." Leo pointed out one.
"What about this? A pair of Black Tigers are attacking travelers on the East road out of town." Tom suggested.
Alejandra added, "This one might be good. A Giant Piranha Trap Plant appeared in the forest and has been threatening to push the local wildlife into human territory."
Annie turned to Gale, "Hey Gale, which one should we do?"
No answer, "Gale? Gale!"
Gale started. "What?"
Tom looked concerned, "You ok, Gale?"
Gale answered, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just lost in thought."
They discussed their options for a few more minutes before settling on the Black Tigers quest. Gale clicked on the document and all of them signed their names. After making sure the quest was theirs, they walked back over to the receptionist, where they were given a printed version of the request. It was the same as the one on the computer, except it had their signatures and the guild's official seal stamped on it. After that, they left the guildhouse and made their way to the city's main gate.
Gale lagged behind the group as they walked through the forest. Alejandra noticed and slowed a little bit to walk beside him.
"Gale, are you feeling unwell?"
"Hmm? No, not at all."
Alejandra looked unconvinced. "Is this because of the exam? You have been acting down ever since."
Gale winced. The events of the exam were still fresh in his mind. Specifically, what happened towards the end.
"Ok, you're right. I can't stop thinking about what happened. I almost lost control completely. I could've hurt everyone or worse."
Alejandra put a hand on his shoulder, "But you didn't. You saved us."
Gale looked at her with unease, "That doesn't change what happened. Not to mention, I seem to have lost control of my magic ever since. I have been struggling to cast even the simplest of spells. I'm afraid that I am nothing more than a burden right now." He said, frustrated.
Alejandra gave him a smile, "Hey, you are anything but a burden, and whatever is happening with your magic will right itself with time. Just keep working at it"
Gale gave her a small smile, "Thanks."
"If the two of you are done flirting, we have reached our destination." Annie teased.
The two of them snapped their heads around to see their friends smirking at them. Gale blushed a little bit before clearing his throat.
"Anyway, let's talk about battle plans. Leo, what can you tell us about these Tigers?"
"They rely mainly on stealth to hunt their prey. They can change the color of their pelts with mana to blend in with their surroundings. They don't have a lot of stamina, and aren't that fast in straight up runs, but they can pounce on their prey before they even know they're there. Also, they are very nimble and resilient. It will take quite a few hits to take one down."
Gale nodded. "Since there are two of them, there's double the danger."
He put his hand to his chin in thought. "Alright, I have an idea. We will stick together to fight. However, only two of us will fight the first one. The rest of us will keep an eye out for the second to so we can't be taken by surprise. I recommend Leo and Annie fight the first one and Tom and Alejandra take the second one. I will aid however I can, how does that sound?"
His friends nodded. "Alright, let's get to work."
They began walking through the forest, weapons drawn and back to back. "Remember, these things can camouflage, watch for any movement." Leo reminded, eyes flicking from bush to bush. They continued for a long while; a stick snapping was their only warning. Tom whirled around in time to block the attack from a large animal. It latched on to his shield and snapped at his face as he tried to shake it off. He finally flung it away, but it twisted and landed on its feet. It was a large, black tiger. Its fangs glinted in the light, the eyes glowed green and its tail lashed back and forth. It stood there, snarling at them as they prepared for battle.
"Let's do this. Leo. Annie. Take this one. Alejandra. Tom. Keep an eye out around us. The other one is probably here, waiting to attack." Gale ordered.
They nodded and got into position. Leo and Annie charged towards the tiger while the others stood around, blocking its escape while keeping their eyes on the edge of the clearing. Leo's first strike missed but he managed to land a glancing blow on its shoulder. The tiger retaliated, but Leo blocked its claws. Annie shot a couple rounds to break it off, and Leo charged again. This time, he struck solid hits on its underbelly as it yowled in pain. As they were fighting, Gale and the others continued looking around, checking for any movement. That was when Gale heard a soft growl that caused the hair on the back of his neck to straighten.
He immediately rolled to his left, just as the other black tiger struck where he used to be. Alejandra and Tom whipped around and began to attack, but the tiger dodged both of their strikes. Gale got his bearing and held his hand out to cast a fireball. Immediately, he was hit with a massive headache and he grabbed his forehead. The tiger noticed his lack of focus and pounced. Slamming Tom away with its side, it rushed Gale and knocked him over, pressing its paws into his stomach. Gale looked into the tiger's eyes as he felt its breath hot on his face. The tiger reared back with its jaws opened, prepared to finish him off when Alejandra plunged her sword into its side. It let out a yowl that changed into a whine as it fell onto its side. She held her sword in it as it struggled for a few more moments before slumping over dead. Gale looked over to see Leo and Annie standing over the dead body of the other tiger.
"Are you ok?" Alejandra said with an anxious look on her face. A hand held out to help him up.
Gale looked downcast, "I'm alright." He took her hand and she pulled him up.
"Hey man, don't sweat it. Everyone has their off days." Tom tried to reassure him. Leo, Annie, and Alejandra voiced their agreement. But Gale was still down as they collected proof from the corpses and walked back to Amul.
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Gale walked through the hallways of the academy, lost in thought. A full day had passed since their first quest and once again, his magic had acted up. This time, it was during combat training. The class was split into two random teams; one was meant to guard a flag, the other had to capture it. The offensive team had ten minutes to get the flag or take out the other team. Gale was placed on defense with an Archer as his teammate. However, she didn't really want to work with him, so any plan he had fell apart immediately. Then, when he was facing a Mage type, he wasn't able to cast and lost within two seconds.
Gale stopped and sighed as he leaned on the wall next to him. He was so embarrassed that he had started walking back to the dorms on his own. As he was about to learn, it was not the right choice.
"That was quite the show, you worthless Demon Lord."
Gale's face dropped as he turned to face Aiden and his smirking posse.
"I am not in the mood Aiden, what do you want?" Gale deadpanned.
"You think you can talk back? You're a Demon Lord. You shouldn't even be here. To be honest, I have no idea why your head isn't on the chopping block."
"You have a point?" Gale asked sarcastically.
"Nope, just reminding you of your place."
"Alright, I'm reminded. Now if you excuse me, I have to go."
Gale tried to walk off when a flaming fist crashed into his face, sending him into the wall. That was when he felt the front of his shirt get grabbed and he was held against it. Gale regained his wits to see Aiden scowling.
"Listen here, Morri. Don't think just because you got some abilities that means anything has changed. You are worthless. Always have been, always will be. It's only a matter of time before everyone else realizes this. That includes your so-called 'friends'."
Gale's eyes sharpened. "Hey, leave them out of this."
Aiden smirked. "But it's true. As soon as they wake up and see the truth, they will leave you behind just like everyone else. You know this just as much as I do."
Gale flinched. Aiden pressed on. "Remember this, even if you are a Demon Lord, you will always be nothing."
Aiden finally let Gale go and he slumped to the floor as the others left him. He sat there, dazed. If Gale felt bad before, he definitely felt worse now. Aiden had somehow managed to blurt out all of Gale's worst fears. Gale tried to use a spell to heal his wounds, but was once again hit by a headache. He sighed as he brushed off his clothes and began walking outside. As he made it out, he saw Tom standing in the courtyard, Alejandra next to him. When they turned and saw him, they smiled and Tom waved him over to them. When Gale got closer, their smiles dropped into concerned looks.
"Gale, what happened?" Alejandra asked.
"Huh? N-nothing. Why do you ask?" Gale tried to brush it off.
His friends' gazes fell flat.
"Gale, you have a bruise on your cheek and your clothes are singed." Tom deadpanned.
"Oh, right" Gale put a hand behind his head.
"Was it…?" Alejandra trailed off. Gale looked away, which was all the answer she needed.
"Bastards" was said so quietly it almost went unheard. "What was that?" Gale and Tom turned to Alejandra.
"Nothing." She said a little too quickly. They looked at her for a little while longer before dropping the subject.
"Anyway, shall we get going." Gale began walking off when Tom put a hand on his shoulder.
"Gale, I don't entirely know your relationship with that guy, but please don't forget. We're your friends, if you ever feel uncomfortable, or you ever need someone to talk to, or you just need to rant. Speak up. We will always be here to listen." Tom said, Alejandra nodded next to him.
A small smile slipped on his face. "Thanks" The three of them walked back to the dorms.
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Gale and his friends walked through the doors of the guildhouse, talking and laughing after a job well done. They had completed their fourth quest, hunting a Windcutter Mantis. The thing stood at seven feet and could unleash sharp blades of wind with every swipe of its pincers. Leo had managed to distract it long enough for Tom and Alejandra to cut off its pincers. After that, Annie took it out with a single bullet to the head.
It had been several weeks since their first quest and Gale had managed to regain some control of his mana. He couldn't do anything big, but he could once again cast basic and small spells. They collected their bounty and began to make their way back to the academy.
"Wow, it really has gotten quite cold." Annie shivered.
"Well it is getting close to winter. The first snows are predicted to hit next week." Tom told her.
"Aww man." Annie pouted.
Leo looked up towards the sky. "Guess that means we should start preparing. I need to get a new jacket."
Gale turned to him. "Now that I think of it, I should get some new winter clothes as well."
Annie spoke up excitedly, "You know, since there is no school tomorrow, why don't we all meet up at the mall downtown? We've never just hung out outside of school before."
Tom nodded thoughtfully, "I like that. I have no plans, so I'm down." Alejandra also voiced her agreement as Leo nodded,
Gale smiled, "Alright then, let's meet up at the main entrance at noon. Do we agree?"
They all nodded.
The next day, Gale stood outside a sprawling complex of buildings with sliding glass doors. He wore jeans with a casual red shirt. His friends behind him were all wearing casual clothes as well. When they walked in, they could see stairs leading down as well as two hallways around them leading to different floors throughout the buildings. Lining the halls were multiple stores and restaurants; the sounds of talking and laughing echoed throughout the well lit building as the crowds of people walked and shopped. The gang walked through the mall before arriving at the glass roof center, which was as large as the auditorium at the academy.
"This place is huge." Leo stared in awe.
"Tell me about it." Annie was in a similar position.
"Yep, it's one of the biggest malls in the world. Has groceries, clothes, appliances, even a theme park." Tom informed them.
Alejandra looked shocked at that. Gale was the first to recover. "So, what does everyone need?"
"Well Leo promised to help me look for some shoes, so we will be heading our own way." Annie told them.
Tom raised his eyebrow, "Shoes?"
"Hey, I'm a girl too." Annie defended herself as she dragged a confused Leo away.
Tom snickered, "Poor Leo. Well, I don't need any clothes, but I've noticed that our fridge and pantry are almost empty so I will be making a grocery run before catching up with you, want anything Gale?"
"Uhh, no. I'm good." Gale responded.
"Alright, see you guys later." Tom walked off.
Gale and Alejandra stood there before looking at each other.
"Well…, I still need to get new clothes, do you have any other needs or are we heading the same way?" Gale asked her.
Alejandra shook her head. "No, I need the same, so I will be accompanying you."
Gale and Alejandra continued to walk and talk throughout the mall before they reached a clothing store. They spent an hour judging each other's attire before they finally got all of the clothes they needed. They continued their way through the mall before deciding to get some food. Gale and Alejandra messaged their friends, but they replied saying that they were already eating and told them to get something on their own. Gale and Alejandra ended up at a small burger joint with outdoor seating. After they ordered food, Gale spoke up.
"I don't remember asking this but, do you have any siblings?"
Alejandra replied, "I have a younger brother, but no older siblings. I am first in line to inherit the Valentina estate."
Gale nodded, "I'm curious, what is that like? Being the heir to a prestigious family."
Alejandra responded, "It can be difficult at times. After all, I won't just be in charge of the business, I will also be in charge of the Valentina territory and everyone who lives there."
Gale blinked, "That is a heavy burden. So then, why did you become an adventurer?"
Alejandra looked down, "Tell me, Gale, do you know what it means to be a noble?"
Gale shook his head.
Alejandra nodded at that, "I had a feeling you would not. For the longest time, I did not know either. I was raised to be a proper lady. Taught how to dress, speak, act, anything and everything that made up noble etiquette. I was taken to balls and parties, and introduced to nobles all over the world. However, I was also introduced to the dark side of nobility. I saw their corruption, their greed, and their vile deeds. All of that made me ask myself: what does it mean to be nobility? I even asked my father that once. He just smiled and told me that it was a question I had to answer myself."
She looked up as she continued. "It took me a long time to find the right answer but during a summer vacation, I was targeted by some bullies when a boy my age came to help me. He could not fight them, instead they changed targets to him."
Alejandra smiled nostalgically, "I helped him bandage his wounds and asked him why he did it. He told me that he helped me because he could. It amazed me how he was able to laugh it all off as if what he did wasn't some great act of kindness. From the way they talked to him, I could tell that this was a normal thing to him. Also, he told me that he was an orphan. He had no one to support him, at home or anywhere else. Yet, when I asked him if he would ever get back at them, he said he would not. He told me that he didn't want to stoop to their level, that even if they were bullies, that doesn't mean one should be a bully right back. I am proud to say that he was my first friend outside of nobility. We spent that day together, talking about our hopes and sharing our troubles. Before I left, I asked him the same question I asked myself and my father. He told me he did not know, but he did say this: 'It isn't the power we are born with, but what we do with that power that leaves our mark on the world.'"
Gale tilted his head, both at the look on her face and the weird familiarity of that statement. "He sounds like a good person, wish I could have met him.
Alejandra stared at him incredulously before she burst out laughing. Gale furrowed his brow, "What's so funny?"
Alejandra calmed down, "Oh, nothing. Anyway, It was those words that helped me answer my question. Being a noble is whatever I decide it to be. I knew that I hated seeing others hurt, so I decided that I would be the kind of noble that would help others. That would protect my people anyway I could. I studied politics and economics to find ways to better improve the livelihood of the citizens. That was what led me to adventuring. I figured, what better way to learn how to protect my people, than to fight and live alongside them as an adventurer."
Gale looked at her with awe. 'She dedicated her life to helping others. No wonder she was chosen as the Hero.' Gale began to speak up when a loud crashing sound interrupted him.
The sound was similar to the cracking of glass, only a hundred times louder. And it was coming from above. Gale and Alejandra looked up, only for their blood to freeze solid. A large, black crack splintered across the clouds and great blue expanse, as if the sky was nothing more than a giant window. The crack continued to grow, getting wider and spreading farther through the air.
That was when the panic began. Very few people have ever experienced this, but everyone knew what it was. It was the first sign of a catastrophic event, the same one that began mankind's downfall 500 years ago. The beginning of a Fracture.