Kael Draven groaned as sunlight flooded his small room. He had overslept. Rubbing his eyes, he stumbled out of bed, realizing he was far behind schedule.
"Lyriel's going to kill me," he muttered to himself.
He hurried to get dressed and began preparing breakfast. The smell of sizzling meat and fresh bread wafted through the house, but he couldn't shake the unease of knowing Lyriel was likely waiting for him.
A sharp knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Kael! Are you even awake?" Lyriel Faelith's voice carried an edge of frustration.
Kael opened the door sheepishly, holding a pan in his hand. "Good morning, Lyriel. Care for some breakfast?"
Lyriel stepped inside, arms crossed and brows furrowed. "You're late! We had plans, remember?"
Kael winced. "I know, I know. I just… overslept. My bad."
Lyriel sighed but softened at the sight of the food. "Fine, but next time, try to be on time. Let me help you finish up. We have a quest to take!"
Together, they prepared a quick meal and set off toward the Adventurer's Guild.
At the guild, the duo scanned the quest board. Lyriel's eyes lit up when she found one:
"'Collect three boar meats,'" she read aloud. "This should be manageable."
Kael nodded. "Simple enough. Let's take it."
The receptionist, Brunhild Ironsong, gave them a warm smile as she stamped their request. "Good luck, young ones. Stay safe out there."
They hitched a cart to transport their haul and headed toward the dense forests beyond Therandil's borders.
Hours passed as they searched the forest. Eventually, they stumbled upon a small group of boars grazing in a clearing.
Kael nocked an arrow, taking aim. "I've got the one on the left."
"Take the shot," Lyriel whispered, her hands glowing with magical energy.
Kael released the arrow, striking the boar cleanly. It fell with a grunt, causing the others to scatter. Lyriel quickly cast a fireball, hitting another boar. The remaining boars bolted into the undergrowth.
"That's two," Kael said, hoisting the carcasses into the cart. "Let's find the last one."
As they moved deeper into the forest, a rustling in the bushes caught their attention. Suddenly, a boar charged out, heading straight for Lyriel.
"Watch out!" Kael shouted, yanking her out of harm's way.
The boar didn't retreat; instead, it turned its focus on Kael. It rammed into him with brutal force, sending him sprawling. Lyriel attempted another fireball, but her aim faltered, and the boar darted away into the trees.
Kael groaned as Lyriel rushed to his side, her hands glowing with healing magic. "That… hurt more than I expected," he muttered.
"That's because it was a boar, Kael," Lyriel said dryly, finishing the healing spell. "We underestimated them."
Disheartened, they decided to retreat. However, on their way back, they spotted more boars grazing by a riverside. Kael gestured for Lyriel to stay quiet as he drew his bow.
The distance was great, but Kael steadied his breathing and released the arrow. It sailed through the air, hitting its target. The boar collapsed, and Lyriel clapped in admiration.
"Impressive," she said.
As they approached the fallen boar, the other boars scattered. "Looks like we scared them off," Lyriel noted.
Kael frowned. "I don't think it was us…"
From the shadows, a lone wolf emerged, its yellow eyes locked on the carcass. It growled, baring sharp teeth.
"Climb that tree," Kael said, drawing his sword.
"Kael, are you sure—?"
"Go!" he barked, and Lyriel scrambled up the nearest tree.
The wolf lunged. Kael dodged, his sword flashing in the sunlight. They circled each other, each waiting for the other to make a move.
The wolf made a feint, darting toward the boar. Kael stepped in to block it. The animal snarled, snapping at him with sharp teeth. Lyriel cast a fireball from her perch, but the wolf dodged effortlessly.
"Stay focused!" Kael shouted, narrowly avoiding another bite.
Lyriel cast a barrier around Kael, shielding him as the wolf tried to drag the boar away. Enraged, the beast turned on Kael, its claws raking his arm. He gritted his teeth against the pain.
The wolf lunged again, grabbing Kael's leg. Thinking quickly, Kael scooped up a handful of soil and threw it into the wolf's eyes. It yelped, releasing him.
Kael rose unsteadily to his feet. Taking advantage of the wolf's temporary blindness, he delivered a powerful slash to its face, the blade cutting deep.
The wolf howled in pain, its wounded eye bleeding profusely. It backed away, then turned and fled into the forest.
Lyriel climbed down, her hands glowing with healing energy. "You're an idiot," she said, her voice trembling as she worked on his wounds.
Kael chuckled weakly. "But a lucky idiot."
After tending to his injuries and applying medicine from Kael's bag, the duo secured the boar and hurried back to Therandil.
By noon, they reached the restaurant, The Golden Hearth, and delivered the boar meat. The owner paid them handsomely, and they decided to stay for lunch.
"This was too close," Lyriel said over a steaming plate of roasted vegetables.
Kael nodded. "We need to improve—both of us."
Lyriel tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe we should recruit another member for our team. Strength in numbers, right?"
"Agreed," Kael said. "Let's post a notice at the guild later."
Back at Kael's house, they reflected on their experience.
"We were lucky today," Lyriel said. "But luck won't save us every time."
Kael sighed. "I need to work on my swordsmanship."
"And I need to work on my aim," Lyriel admitted.
Kael suddenly remembered his father's offer. "Actually, my dad said he'd train me if I ever wanted to. Maybe he could find someone to help you too—a royal mage, perhaps?"
Lyriel's eyes lit up. "You think he'd do that?"
"It's worth a try," Kael said.
That evening, they headed to Therandil Castle, an imposing structure of gray stone with towering spires and massive gates. Guards stood at attention, their polished armor gleaming.
"Halt," one of the guards said. "State your business."
"I'm Kael Draven, son of Commander Rorik Draven," Kael replied.
The guards exchanged glances, then stepped aside. "Follow me," one said, leading them inside.
The castle's interior was grand, with high ceilings, intricate tapestries, and the smell of fresh polish. They found Rorik in the training grounds, sparring with another soldier. Then he saw them coming and excused himself to meet them.
"Kael? What brings you here?" Rorik asked, sheathing his sword.
"We like to train a little bit," Kael said. "Both of us."
Rorik raised an eyebrow. "Why now? You have always excused yourself from training."
Kael with nervousness "We just like to increase our adventure ranks so..."
Rorik still suspicious stayed silent. Kael avoided eye contact with his father.
Rorik with a serious voice "Lyriel... tell me what happened? "
Kael with an unexpected expression "What happened? Nothing happened..."
Rorik "Shut it, Kael, I am asking her"
Kael looked at Lyriel and signaled her secretly with his eyes not to say it.
Kael hesitated, but Lyriel spoke up. "We were attacked by a wolf during our last quest. It almost killed him."
A moment of silence. Murmurs were going on around the background.
Rorik's expression darkened. "You should have told me this sooner. No more adventures until I say you're ready. Understood?"
Kael "But..."
Rorik with a dark tone "Huh... did you say something?"
Kael with a frightened voice "No nothing at all..."
"Training starts tomorrow," Rorik said firmly. "And don't even think about sneaking out."
...
On their way home, Kael glanced at Lyriel. "Why did you tell him?"
"Because it's important," she replied. "We were lucky this time, but that wolf will be back—with its pack. We need to be ready."
Kael with an unbelievable look on his face "Wait.... what? You mean it will track us."
Lyriel "Yeah, that's exactly what I am talking about you blockhead"
Kael "How you know that?"
Lyriel "It's in the adventurer handbook. At least open it once a while."
Kael sighed. " You're right. Thank you."
Lyriel smiled. "Don't mention it."