After Luca got back from the market, he sat down in his tent to meditate, just like he did every day. The quiet of the evening wrapped around him as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, ready to dive into the calm focus that Luminis meditation always brought him. He was just starting to feel the faint hum of energy within him when a loud voice rang out from a nearby tent:
"Darn mosquitoes! How dare you bite me? Come here, and I'll show you who's boss!"
Luca cracked one eye open, a small smile tugging at his lips. Before he could fully process the outburst, another voice snapped back, sounding half-annoyed and half-asleep:
"Boss, my foot! We're trying to sleep, just shut up already!"
The camp fell quiet for a moment after the exchange, leaving Luca chuckling softly to himself. "Looks like everyone's full of energy tonight," he thought, shaking his head.
He adjusted his posture, ready to return to his practice. Closing his eyes once more, he let his breathing settle into a steady rhythm. Slowly, the faint hum of Luminis energy began to flow through him again. The chatter and noise of the camp faded into the background, replaced by the warmth spreading through his body as he focused.
But just as he was finding his centre, another voice broke through the quiet:
"Hey! Who took my boots? They were right here a minute ago!"
"I didn't take them!" someone else shouted back indignantly. "Maybe the mosquitoes flew off with them!"
Luca's concentration slipped again. He sighed, feeling both amused and a little frustrated. Peeking out of his tent, he spotted two soldiers standing nearby, pointing fingers at each other and looking ready to argue further.
"Maybe I should try meditating in the woods," Luca muttered under his breath, his lips curling into a wry smile.
Just as he was sitting back down, determined to give meditation another shot, Finn's voice called out from a distance:
"Luca! You awake? I saved you some bread from the market!"
Luca opened his eyes again, the hope of a peaceful session completely gone now. He chuckled softly to himself, shaking his head. Meditation would clearly have to wait. "Thanks, Finn!" he called back, stepping out of his tent to join his friend.
Sometimes, it seemed, the real challenge wasn't mastering Luminis. It was finding a quiet moment to actually do it.
As Luca and Finn sat outside under the stars, munching on the bread Finn had saved, the camp slowly settled down for the night. The distant hum of voices turned into soft murmurs, and the warm glow of the fire pits began to fade.
Luca broke the peaceful silence. "Hey, Finn," he said, glancing at his friend. "Have you noticed something strange? We've been here for two months, and there hasn't been a single attack by corrupted mystical creatures."
Finn took a big bite of his bread and chewed thoughtfully, taking his time to answer. Finally, he nodded. "Yeah, I've been wondering about that too." He swallowed and added, "I asked one of the seniors about it a few days ago. You know what he said? The attacks from those creatures are... random. Totally unpredictable."
"Unpredictable?" Luca asked, frowning slightly. "What does that even mean?"
Finn waved his bread around like a teacher holding a pointer. "It means," he explained, "sometimes they attack one after the other, like they've got a grudge or something. And other times? Years go by without a single attack. There's no pattern."
Luca's eyebrows knit together in concern. "That's unsettling. How are we supposed to prepare for something that random?"
Finn shrugged, his casual attitude making it clear he wasn't too bothered. "You just stay ready," he said. "That's what the senior told me. He said that's why the army makes us train so hard. They don't want anyone getting lazy if an attack happens after a long gap."
Luca leaned back, letting Finn's words sink in. "It still feels weird, though. Like, shouldn't there be some kind of warning system? Or at least a way to predict when they'll come?"
Finn snorted. "If there was, don't you think the army would've figured it out by now? Trust me, Luca, if those creatures are as strange as people say, there's no use overthinking it. Just keep training and be ready when it happens."
Luca looked up at the stars, their soft glow unbothered by the worries of the camp below. "I guess you're right," he said finally. "Still, I hope we don't have to face them anytime soon."
Finn grinned, his confidence as strong as ever. "Speak for yourself! I wouldn't mind showing one of those creatures who's boss."
Luca laughed, shaking his head. "You've got way too much confidence, Finn."
Finn smirked and replied with a wink, "Hey, someone's got to balance out your overthinking."
The two friends finished their bread, sharing a quiet moment of camaraderie under the twinkling sky before heading off to their tents for some rest.
The next morning, training was in full swing as Instructor Aaron put the group through their paces.
Suddenly, a figure approached from the direction of the main camp. It was a woman wearing an instructor's uniform, her calm and confident demeanour immediately catching the attention of everyone present. She was strikingly beautiful, and the boys couldn't help but stare.
She walked straight up to Instructor Aaron and spoke in a clear, steady voice. "All training instructors are required to attend a meeting at the main camp with the commander."
Aaron nodded. "Understood," he said simply. Then, noticing the boys foolish, wide-eyed looks, he smirked slightly. "Alright, you lot," he called out, "stop gawking and get back to training. I'm trusting you not to slack off while I'm gone."
With that, Aaron walked off with the woman, heading toward the main camp.
As soon as they disappeared, the boys erupted into a flurry of chatter.
"Did you see her? She's like a goddess!" one of them whispered, clearly awestruck.
"I don't care about training anymore. I need to know her name!" another exclaimed dramatically.
Even Finn looked completely smitten, a dreamy expression plastered on his face. Luca, of course, couldn't let it slide.
"Finn," he said, nudging his friend with a grin, "you might want to wipe the drool off your face before Instructor Aaron gets back and makes you run laps."
Finn blinked, snapping out of his daze. "What? I wasn't drooling!" he protested, quickly wiping his face just in case.
Luca laughed. "Sure, Finn. Whatever you say. You looked like you were about to propose on the spot."
Finn threw up his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, can you blame me? That was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen!"
"Maybe," Luca teased, "but you might want to focus on surviving today's training before planning your fairy tale wedding."
The boys laughed, and even Finn couldn't help but grin. Despite the commotion, they eventually got back to their drills, though the mysterious woman remained the main topic of conversation for the rest of the day.