The Squad, tired but satisfied with their efforts, regrouped at Olivia's inn as the evening sun dipped below the horizon. Half of the city was in ruins, but for the moment, it was quiet—a hard-fought peace.
Ren leaned back in his chair, propping his feet up on the edge of the table. "Well, I'd say we earned this. Saving the city, getting paid, and ranking up. Not bad for a day's work."
Olivia, carrying a tray of drinks, set it down on the table. "I don't see how you can be so relaxed when half the city is destroyed. So many people lost their homes."
Ren sighed, reaching for his mug. "Yeah, but we stopped it from getting worse. Sometimes you take the win you can get."
Skorn raised his mug. "Here's to stopping crazy cults, big explosions, and surviving to tell the tale."
Talos adjusted his glasses, taking a sip of his drink. "If we're being honest, the guild should've coordinated better. The city's defensive arrays are clearly outdated."
"Leave it to Talos to turn a drinking session into a lecture," Ren muttered, smirking over the rim of his mug.
"Knowledge is power," Talos replied, unbothered. "Speaking of which, I've been documenting the symbols we saw today. They might lead us to other cult activities."
Olivia frowned. "You think this will happen again?"
Talos nodded gravely. "Rituals like this are rarely isolated. The cult will regroup, and next time, they might be more prepared."
Ren groaned. "And here I thought we'd get a break. Can't we have a break without impending doom?"
Skorn chuckled. "Adventurers don't get vacations, Ren. You signed up for this."
"I signed up for gold and glory, not world-ending cults."
Olivia looked thoughtful, her drink untouched. "Even if the cult regroups, we'll stop them again. The people are counting on us."
Ren raised his mug. "To saving the day. Again. And hopefully with less property damage next time."
Skorn and Talos clinked their mugs against his, while Olivia gave a small, determined nod.
____________
As the laughter and clinking of mugs died down, Ren leaned back in his chair, swirling the last of his drink. "You know," he said casually, "now that we're pros at this whole saving-the-world gig, maybe it's time we made it official."
"Made what official?" Skorn asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ren smirked. "Our team. We should register with the guild. Give ourselves a fancy name or something."
Talos adjusted his glasses, considering the idea. "That would streamline things. Official teams get access to better quests and resources."
Olivia tilted her head. "And it would let people know we work together. It might make them trust us more."
Ren blinked, surprised. "Wait, you guys actually like the idea? I was joking."
"Well, we're not," Skorn said, slapping the table. "Let's do it! But the real question is—what do we call ourselves?"
There was a brief pause before Talos suggested, "The Arcane Seekers?"
Ren immediately shook his head. "Sounds too serious. We're not a bunch of mysterious wizards."
"How about The Nature Wardens?" Olivia offered.
"Yeah, no," Skorn said, laughing. "We're not exactly eco-friendly either."
Ren grinned mischievously. "What about The Maniacs? Fits us, don't you think?"
Skorn's face lit up. "I like it! It's chaotic, just like us."
Talos hesitated. "It's... unconventional, but it does stand out."
Olivia frowned, puzzled. "Maniacs? Are we... insane?"
"Not technically," Ren said, smirking. "But people will remember us. That's what matters."
After a few more rounds of debate—and a unanimous vote—the name stuck. They officially decided to register themselves as The Maniacs, a team of rookie adventurers ready to take on whatever came their way.
As the others celebrated, Ren leaned back in his chair, a soft smile tugging at his lips. He muttered under his breath, "Ah, yes. The classic 'team bonding' moment. I've seen this play out a hundred times before, but... it feels different now that I'm actually part of it."
For once, he wasn't just watching the story unfold. He was living it. And it felt good.
the night deepened and the inn quieted down, Skorn and Talos eventually left, their laughter fading into the cool evening air.
Ren stayed behind, nursing the remnants of his drink and staring at the flickering candle on the table.
The room was dim now, with only a handful of candles still burning, and the comforting hum of the inn had faded into silence.
Olivia finished cleaning up and locking the doors, noticing Ren still seated in the corner. His usual lively demeanor seemed dulled, his eyes clouded with a sadness she had seen glimpses of before.
Setting aside her apron, she hesitated for a moment before sitting down next to him.
"You're quiet tonight," she said softly, breaking the silence.
Ren glanced at her and managed a half-hearted smirk. "Quiet's good sometimes. Gives the chaos a break."
Olivia tilted her head, her sharp elf senses picking up the undertone of his voice. "Ren, I've seen you deflect before. You're always cracking jokes or changing the subject when something's on your mind.
But...this time, it feels heavier. What's bothering you?"
He hesitated, the words caught in his throat. For a moment, he considered brushing it off, but her genuine concern made him falter. With a sigh, he finally spoke. "I'm just...missing my mom," he said quietly, his voice tinged with pain.
"She was my anchor. My everything."
Olivia nodded, her expression gentle and understanding. She didn't pry further, sensing there was more he wasn't saying. "You must love her a lot," she said.
Ren smiled faintly, his eyes glassy. "Yeah. She'd probably yell at me right now for moping around. Then she'd tell me to keep moving forward and...figure it out."
Olivia reached over, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's okay to miss her. To feel this way. But I think she'd also be proud of you for everything you've done—for the people you've helped, and for the person you are."
Ren chuckled weakly, glancing at her. "You always know what to say, don't you?"
"Not really," Olivia admitted with a small smile. "But sometimes, listening is enough."
For the first time that night, Ren's lips curved into a genuine smile. It wasn't much, but it was a start. He felt a little lighter, as though some of the weight pressing down on him had lifted.
"Thanks, Olivia," he said softly.
"Anytime," she replied, her voice as steady and sincere as ever.
As she busied herself tidying up the last bits of the inn, Ren lingered for a moment, watching her move with quiet efficiency.
Something about her calm presence was...reassuring, like the steady rhythm of the inn itself. He shook his head slightly and let out a soft laugh under his breath.
With that, he stretched, muttered something about needing sleep, and headed upstairs. Olivia watched him go, her usual composed expression softening for a brief moment.
She didn't say anything, but she could feel the weight of whatever Ren carried.