Damn this... I shouldn't be gathering plants here.
Why does Alice have those puppy eyes? Now I'm stuck here gathering some herbs or mushrooms... I don't know anymore.
The forest around me was dense, the canopy thick enough to block out most of the light, casting eerie shadows all over. It wasn't exactly the kind of place you'd want to be alone, especially not after everything that had happened.
"Great, Kira, just great," I muttered, stuffing the plants into a bag. "Out here picking mushrooms like some apprentice alchemist."
A rustling in the nearby bushes made me pause. I straightened up, narrowing my eyes and scanning the area.
"Who's there?" I called out, my voice louder than intended.
The bushes parted, and a figure stumbled out, no beast, just a scruffy-looking man with wild hair.
"Yo, Kira."
I blinked in surprise, the tension draining from my body as I recognized the voice.
"Rook?"
The scruffy-looking man stumbled toward me with a grin, brushing leaves off his ragged coat. He looked like he'd been rolling around in the dirt for days, but his carefree expression hadn't changed a bit.
"Yeah, it's me. What're you doing out here? Mushroom hunting?"
He asked with a chuckle, clearly amused by my situation.
"Don't even start," I muttered, shaking my head. "Alice gave me those damn puppy eyes, and now here I am, gathering plants for her potions."
Rook laughed, slapping me on the shoulder.
"Sucker! You should've learned to say no by now."
"Yeah, well, what are you doing out here? Don't tell me you're hunting boars again."
"Nah, nothing that exciting. Just keeping an eye on some suspicious activity near the western ridge. Thought I'd see if I could pick up a lead."
"Suspicious activity? You find anything?"
He scratched his head, his carefree grin faltering just a little.
"Yeah... kinda. A few shady characters lurking around. Didn't get too close though, seemed like they might be up to something big."
Great. Just what I needed, another complication on top of everything else.
"And here I thought today would be quiet."
"It's never quiet when you're around, Kira."
This is Rook. A friend of mine in my childhood. Despite his laid-back nature, Rook had a knack for finding trouble, or maybe it was the other way around.
He wasn't reckless, exactly, but he never seemed too worried about the consequences of his actions.
Sometimes, that carefree approach made him seem like a burden, especially when things got serious. But at the end of the day, Rook had a way of showing up when you needed him the most, like an unexpected ace up your sleeve.
He'd been one of the first people to accept me when I arrived in the kingdom, back when I was still finding my place. Rook didn't care about titles or reputation, to him, people were just people.
Maybe that's why we got along.
"Rook, join our guild."
His grin faded, and for the first time since stumbling out of the bushes, I saw a crack in his carefree facade. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, as if my suggestion weighed heavier than the dust and dirt he carried.
"Join your guild?" He repeated, his voice dropping. "Kira, that's not my style. And quit pestering me."
"Pestering? Rook. You sure you're not secretly studying with the mages?"
"Real funny."
"You don't want to admit you'd fit in perfectly."
"Fit in? Do I look like someone who causes chaos? The Arcane Brigade isn't for me. Besides, your guild is always getting on the Magic Council's nerves."
"Like you care about those old men. You've been dodging their rules since the day I met you."
"Dodging and breaking are two different things, Kira. I'm not trying to make my life harder than it already is."
"Please," I scoffed. "You thrive on making things complicated. What else would you do all day but stir up some trouble?"
"Maybe just enough chaos," He replied with a wink, turning back toward the path he'd come from. "Anyway, stay out of trouble."
As I watched Rook disappear into the forest, I realized my bag was heavier than before, and I glanced down.
The plants I'd been gathering for Alice were piled high, more than enough for whatever that she needed to brew.
---
Now back at the guild, I leaned against the bar, waiting for Alice to finish whatever concoction she was brewing in the back.
The Arcane Brigade's guildhall was lively as usual, people drinking and boasting about their latest missions, while a few guildmates sat in groups planning their next quest. It was a typical scene, but somehow, being in the middle of it all felt like home.
Alice finally emerged from the back, her arms full of jars and herbs. She gave me a bright smile as she spotted me, her brown eyes sparkling with gratitude.
"Kira! You actually did it!" She said, setting the jars down on the bar. "I was half-expecting you to ditch the job halfway."
I shrugged, sliding the bag of herbs over to her. The faint scent of the fresh plants wafted between us, a reminder of the morning I'd spent gathering them.
"Yeah, well, you owe me for this."
Alice laughed softly, her fingers deftly unpacking the herbs with a practiced hand. Her expertise was evident in the way she handled them, each plant treated with the care they deserved.
"You complain a lot, but you always come through." She inspected the plants, nodding approvingly. "These are perfect! Thanks, Kira."
I grinned, leaning forward on the bar, the smooth wood cool against my palms. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and I couldn't help but feel a bit smug.
"I'm not doing that again anytime soon. Next time you need plants, go ask someone else."
She giggled, shaking her head.
"I'll keep that in mind. But you've got a knack for this kind of thing."
"Don't push your luck, Alice."
She raised her hands in mock surrender, still smiling.
"Alright, alright. No more herb-gathering missions for you. But you may want to look at the quest board."
I raised an eyebrow at Alice's suggestion.
"The quest board? What, you're telling me there's something better than herb-picking today?"
Alice leaned over the bar, her voice dropping conspiratorially.
"You could say that. Some interesting jobs have popped up."
With my curiosity piqued, I stood and stretched, cracking my neck.
"Alright, let's see what we've got."
The quest board was plastered with parchment, some notices old and weathered, while others looked fresh, ink still drying on them.
I scanned the board, quickly skipping over the mundane delivery requests and local pest problems. Those were for the junior wizards.
"Bounty: Shadow Figures Spotted Near the Western Ridge"
This caught my attention. Shadow figures? That was too much of a coincidence considering what Rook had mentioned earlier.
I tore the notice off the board and read it more carefully.
The details were vague, just a warning about strange activity near the western ridge and a decent reward for anyone who could investigate and report back. It sounded like exactly the kind of thing Rook had stumbled onto earlier.
"Shadow figures, huh?" I muttered, running my thumb over the parchment. "Could be nothing. Or it could be something big."
Alice noticed the paper in my hand and raised an eyebrow.
"You thinking of taking that one? Sounds risky."
"Everything's risky, Alice. Besides, Rook saw something out there, and he's not one to exaggerate."
"Just... don't be reckless, okay? You always jump headfirst into things, and this sounds like the kind of job that could go sideways real fast."
"Hey, when have I ever been reckless?"
I gave her a crooked grin, but she didn't look amused.
"Kira..."
"I'll be careful," I said quickly, holding my hands up in mock surrender. "I promise."
She didn't look convinced, but she let it go, turning back to her work.
"Just don't get yourself killed, alright? Your team is not here to help you."
"I'll try my best."
With that, I headed toward the guild's entrance, already planning how I'd approach the situation.
---
The journey to the western ridge wasn't far, but as we trekked deeper into the woods, the atmosphere grew heavier.
The trees were thicker here, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers, and the air was cooler, almost unnaturally so. It didn't take long before the familiar sounds of the city faded, replaced by the rustling of leaves and the distant calls of wildlife.
My steps quickened, excitement is rising in my chest. This was what I thrived on, the unknown, the potential danger. If there were shadowy figures lurking out here, I'd find them.
The forest was unnervingly silent. Even the usual buzz of insects had died down, replaced by a heavy stillness that set my instincts on edge.
I gripped my scarf tightly, magic thrumming just beneath the surface of my skin, ready to be called upon at a moment's notice.
"Show yourselves."
I muttered under my breath.
The shadows seemed to deepen, as if the forest was responding to my challenge.
There was a flicker of movement to my left. Without hesitation, I raised my hand, a spark of blue light forming at my fingertips.
I smirked, my magic swirling in the palm of my hand.
"Alright, If you're not going to show yourself, I'm just gonna freeze this whole damn ridge."
Just as I was about to unleash my magic, a figure darted out from the shadows, too fast for me to catch with my eyes. I shifted my stance, ready to blast them with ice, but before I could, something cold and sharp pressed against the back of my neck.
"Hold it,"
A low voice said, steady and controlled.
"You're not freezing anything today, Kira."
I stiffened, my fingers twitching with the urge to send a spike of ice into the figure's ribs. But something in the voice made me pause—familiar, calm, and calculating.
"Tiara?"
The pressure against my neck eased, and I turned to see her stepping back, her sword gleaming even in the dim light.
She always had a way of moving like a shadow herself, quiet and deadly.
"You should be more careful," She said, sheathing her blade. "Charging into things like this will get you killed."
I rolled my eyes, releasing the magic I'd been building up. The air around us warmed slightly, the tension easing.
"I had it under control," I replied, smirking. "You just happened to show up at the wrong time."
Tiara raised an eyebrow, her expression is cool and unimpressed as usual.
"Sure. That's why you didn't sense me until I was practically on top of you."
I huffed but didn't argue. She was annoyingly good at this, sneaking around, outmaneuvering enemies.
"So," She continued, her voice dropping. "What are you doing out here alone? This isn't your kind of mission."
"Got a lead from Rook," I said, crossing my arms. "He mentioned some suspicious figures near the western ridge. Thought I'd check it out."
"And you didn't think to ask for backup?"
I smirked, sensing something in the air.
"Nope, I don't need any backup to take you out."
In an instant, the air around me chilled, the ground beneath my feet frosting over as I propelled myself forward, leaving a trail of ice behind.
She barely had time to react as I swung my hand, sending a blast of icy wind toward her.
The frost struck the ground where she had been standing a second before, freezing the earth solid.
"How did you know?"
She asked. I can see the illusion around her is breaking.
"An Illusion magic, can't say I'm surprised."
As the words left my lips, the illusion shattered like a glass, the figure before me morphing into someone entirely different.
The familiar outline of Tiara melted away, revealing a dark elf woman with striking red hair cascading down her shoulders. Her eyes glowed an intense emerald green, a stark contrast to the shadows that cloaked her form.
"Damn it," She muttered, taking a step back as her disguise faded. "I knew I shouldn't be wandering around these part.
The dark elf's features were striking, her skin a deep shade of obsidian that seemed to absorb the dim light around us.