I blew out the candle, plunging the room into a darkness so complete it felt like the walls themselves had closed in. The quiet pressed down, too heavy for sleep. After the chaos of today, pleasant dreams felt about as likely as finding a healer who worked for free.
"Thea?" I called softly, my voice cutting through the stillness.
"Yeah?" she answered, the faint rustling of blankets letting me know she'd shifted to face me—or at least I assumed she had. In this void, she could've been doing cartwheels for all I knew. "What's up?"
"Um… how did the guild-making go? Did you finish?"
"You want to talk about that?" Her tone carried a hint of surprise, like I'd just asked her about tax law at a party.
"Actually, yes. Did you have fun reading all the documents?" I teased, letting a small grin creep onto my face. If I couldn't sleep, I might as well get some mileage out of annoying her.
"Ha," she huffed, her tone dry enough to wilt plants. "Not exactly my idea of a good time, but yeah, I finished. I'm now officially the guild master of the first Cultivators' Guild. Only cost me a hundred points."
"A real grandmaster, huh?" I said, letting the grin spread despite the ache in my side. "I'll start bowing in your direction from now on."
"That's right," Thea replied, the faintest trace of pride sneaking into her voice. "You're the vice-head, by the way. Elric, Sia, and Lyra all have the authority to bring in new members and sell the first step of our method."
"I was wondering about that, actually," I said, leaning back against the wall. "How much are we selling the Spiritual Reservoir Formation method for? We've been going for three hundred points, but…"
Thea jumped in before I could finish. "No new recruits could possibly afford that."
"Exactly," I agreed. "So, did you come to any conclusions?"
She sighed. "We still need to convince someone to actually finish the Spiritual Reservoir Formation first," she explained. "But honestly, I don't think we have much of a choice. We'll have to sell it dirt cheap and hope they join after their first transformation."
I thought back to what the commander had said about transformations. Had he been a recruit like us, one our age, the transformation would've been life-changing. "Alright, let's just keep it simple and cheap. Something like…"
"Five points?" Thea suggested.
I groaned, and she laughed. "I guess that's probably for the best. Still, it might annoy Sia and Lyra, considering we asked them for so much."
"They'll be fine," she said, her tone reassuring. "We're all part of the same group now—no more secrets."
I let her words hang in the air for a moment, the silence wrapping around us like a heavy blanket. Then, another piece of the commander's advice surfaced in my mind, sharp and insistent.
"Thea, one more thing," I said, my tone more serious than before.
"Yeah?" she replied, her voice soft, almost wary.
"When they reach Grand Carving," I began carefully, "and we teach them the purification that comes with it—then Body Refinement after that—we need to make sure the contracts are airtight. Advertising the methods before those is fine, as long as it doesn't reveal the 'how.' But after they complete Grand Carving, even talking about the next part can't be allowed." I paused, my voice lowering. "The punishment has to be severe…."
She hesitated, the silence stretching between us. When she finally spoke, her voice was cautious, almost fragile. "Are you sure about that?"
I shook my head, though I knew she couldn't see me. "No," I admitted, the word heavy in my mouth. "But I trust our instructor. He heavily implied that it could be dangerous if knowledge of Body Refinement gets out."
"Okay, I'll make sure that's in there…if anyone ever signs up," She cuckled. "Oh one more thing from me."
"Yeah?"
"We need a hundred points a month to keep the guild," Thea said flatly.
There was a long silence. Too long. "So… missions?" I ventured, filling the void.
"Missions, customers, and guild members," she completed, her tone carrying that "obviously" edge I was getting used to.
"Hey?" I asked again after a beat.
"Peter, we actually need to sleep," she groaned, the exhaustion thick in her voice.
"Yeah, yeah," I dismissed with a wave she couldn't see. "This is important."
She groaned louder this time. "What is it?"
"Where are my clothes? That was my last pair." I paused, trying to sound nonchalant despite the very real problem. "I mean, I'll need them eventually. Walking outside like this with so many ladies in the building—not to mention other residents—doesn't exactly scream 'upstanding new tenant.'"
"How should I know?" she retorted, sharp as ever.
"Well, someone had to take them. Elric said you and Miss Star were here, so…"
Her tone turned sarcastic in a heartbeat. "What, you think I cleaned you?"
"Elric said you were here," I pressed. "So it was either you or Miss Star."
"Maybe it was Elric," she suggested dryly.
"Oh sure. That's much better—him hovering over me while I'm naked and vulnerable." I paused, considering. Then again, he probably did, considering he's the only other guy.
"Did you want me to clean you?" she shot back, her voice dripping with mockery.
"I mean…" I dragged the word out, leaving room for her answer, even though I knew exactly what was coming.
"I'm going to hit you, recovering or not," she said evenly, like it was a scheduled appointment.
"I didn't hear a no," I replied, grinning into the darkness. Before she could follow through on her threat, the door creaked open, spilling light into the room and blinding me in the process.
"Oh good, I didn't interrupt anything," Elric announced, grinning like he'd just walked in on the world's funniest sitcom. The light from the hallway—or maybe his obnoxiously bright smile—stabbed at my still-adjusting eyes.
"What would you even be interrupting?" Thea asked, completely oblivious to the implication.
"You thought you might interrupt and didn't bother knocking?" I asked incredulously, shielding my eyes.
"I thought it'd be funny," he said with zero remorse.
"Wh—what is wrong with you, man?" I demanded, waving at him vaguely as my eyes adjusted. "How could interrupting a tender moment between a man and a woman possibly be funny? Either way, Thea and I haven't—"
I stopped mid-sentence. Elric was smirking, fully enjoying himself.
"Peter?" came Thea's cold, unmistakable voice from somewhere beneath the bed.
"Yes, Thea?"
"Stop talking," she commanded, her tone sharp enough to cut steel.
Did he plan this? Did he know I'd take the bait and talk myself into a hole? His level of foresight was downright terrifying. But I relented to Thea's command, figuring I'd teased her enough for one day. "Jerk," I muttered under my breath.
"Idiot," Elric shot back instantly, as if he'd been waiting for it.
And then the one in charge, our self-appointed guildmaster, ended the exchange with a single word: "Bed."
That was the last word spoken before we all settled into our respective spots—Elric commandeering my sleeping bag for the night while I shifted uncomfortably on the bed, every movement sending sharp protests from my side.
The forest was endless, a sea of shadow and shifting shapes. Figures emerged from the darkness, chasing me relentlessly. I tried to fight, but for every one I took down, more took their place. Their faces were expressionless, eerie masks devoid of life, each one wielding a mismatched assortment of weapons. Blades flashed, clubs swung, arrows whistled past. No matter what I did, they kept coming, overwhelming me. My breath hitched as I turned to face them—
I woke with a sharp gasp, pain stabbing into my side. The phantom sensation of a knife plunging into my ribs lingered as I cried out, "Ah!"
"Quit screaming. It can't hurt that much," Elric said, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather.
"Elric?" I sighed in relief, the dream fading but leaving behind an edge of unease. "Dude, there are so many problems with this."
He looked genuinely confused, as though I'd just insulted his sacred healing craft. "I'm just treating you in the morning. You're honestly pretty much mine, though."
I blinked at him, caught between amusement and disbelief. "You think the best time to, uh, force yourself on me," I paused, reconsidering my wording and clearing my throat, "to heal me… is while I'm asleep?"
"I figured you wouldn't resist," he replied blankly, removing his hands and apparently finishing up. "Clearly, I was wrong."
"Boundaries, man. That's all I'm saying. Boundaries."
Our bickering was interrupted by Thea stepping into the room, her tone sharp. "Elric, I told you not to."
"I told you it would be faster," he replied with a grin, casually strolling out as if he hadn't just violated all rules of personal space.
"Morning, Thea," I greeted, my voice hoarse but accompanied by a grin.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, concern evident in her tone.
"Other than being violated by that monster disguised as an idol, totally fine," I said, waving it off. I wasn't sure if she knew what an idol was or just decided not to ask, but she ignored the comment entirely.
"Good. We should get to the Fighting Hall soon," she said, shifting into business mode. "We all either have fines to pay or fights to make up."
"Right." I stood up, intent on getting dressed, only to be interrupted.
"Peter!" Thea yelped, spinning around so fast she almost tripped.
"Oh, right," I muttered, glancing down at my current attire—or lack thereof. So, about my clothes?"
Without a word, Thea bolted from the room, a faint blush creeping up her neck. "Elric! Peter's clothes!" she shouted somewhere down the hall.
And so, I stood there. Alone. Waiting. Slightly chilly.
Eventually, Elric strolled in, holding out my training attire with a smirk. "Here."
I took it with a nod, resisting the urge to say something snarky. He left without another word, and I quickly threw on the clothes before heading downstairs, where the heavenly aroma of breakfast greeted me. Sia's mother had outdone herself.
Sliding into the seat next to Thea at the table, I found the rest of the group already waiting. Before me was a spread that could make a noble salivate: a large white roll of bread, something that looked like—and turned out to be—roasted tomatoes, and the most golden eggs I'd ever had the pleasure of witnessing.
Or tasting. Oh, the taste.
I dove in, shoveling food into my mouth like I hadn't eaten in weeks. Conversation buzzed around me, but I tuned it out, letting the others chat while I focused on the masterpiece before me. By the time I finished my plate, they were still only a quarter through theirs.
"Should I go ahead?" I asked, glancing up at the group. The silence that followed was deafening, and they all turned to me with looks that ranged from disbelief to outright judgment.
Lyra was the first to break the silence, shaking her head and speaking in her signature soft, comforting tone. "Peter… you want to go alone? Again? After what happened to you and Elric?"
Her expression wasn't just concern—it was the kind of look you give a kid who declares they're going to fight a bear with a butter knife. I could admit, in hindsight, it was a stupid suggestion.
"You sure you're okay with this guy?" Sia added, her tone dripping with mock disbelief. Then she placed a hand over her heart, switching to her dramatic voice. "Oh, how can I, Sia the gentle and concerned, allow such recklessness to continue? Peter, the fool who would charge into danger with no system, you must reconsider Thea!"
I groaned, recognizing her callback to that absurd performance she'd put on in front of Rorik. "Are we doing this act again?" I muttered.
"Act?" she asked sweetly, dropping her exaggerated tone just long enough to flash an innocent grin.
Thea, barely holding back laughter, cleared her throat. "Alright, enough. We all go together. No more splitting up without another person. Agreed?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
I glanced over at Thea, who seemed to sense my gaze immediately. Her expression softened. "What's wrong, Peter?" she whispered, though the whisper wasn't much use—everyone could probably hear her. We really needed to figure out a solution for that.
Her concern was genuine, but I couldn't resist breaking the moment. "You going to eat all that?" I asked, nodding toward her plate.
She answered swiftly, pulling her plate closer with a look that could've rivaled a dragon guarding it's hoard. Oh, are dragons real here? That would be a fun thing to find out.
So, I sat there, defeated and discontent, waiting for the others to finish. The morning light filtered through the windows, painting the room in soft golds and oranges. It wasn't quite the heroic start to the day I'd envisioned, but with my side aching, my stomach growling, and my friends bickering, it felt… normal.