The days after Grim Vale passed like the receding tide—slow, steady, and welcome.

  Tolany, ever the lively city, didn’t treat strength like a spectacle. Word of the Pale Revenant’s fall had made its rounds, and my name came with it. Whispers floated in the Guild Hall, carried with raised brows and nods of quiet respect. With the news spreading came a growing moniker for myself. The Stillblade.

  I wasn’t sure how I felt about the title, but not much to be done in disquieting the talk.

  “Finally caught up to the stories I made up about you,” Todd grinned one night over drinks at the Folly, his mug half-raised in salute. “Good to know I wasn’t lying.”

  “Just embellishing,” I replied, leaning back against the wall beside our usual table.

  “Is the fame gonna get to your head?” Kell asked, elbowing me as he dropped into the chair across from me. His usual smirk was in place, but the sharp glint in his eye was watching for something deeper.

  I shook my head. “Too much work keeping up with a reputation. I’ll settle for my first title as Solstice’s mentor.”

  That got a laugh out of Todd. Devin rolled her eyes as she joined us, placing a fresh round of drinks on the table. “Maybe now he’ll stop disappearing into the woods every other day.”

  “Doubtful,” Ozzy chimed in from the corner, feet up on a barrel, tuning a string on his lute. “Our wise and honorable mentor has to keep up the mysterious and brooding personality.”

  After Grim Vale, I’d kept myself busy. Silver Rank missions came and went. I handled those solo. On occasion, I accompanied Bren and members of Golden Fang on any escort Bronze missions. My bond with Bren deepened in the quiet hours between them. She was vibrant and honest, never seeming to have underlying intentions. Our relationship was open now and affection passed between us without second thoughts.

  The courtyard behind the guild became my new grounds. A training post, a sparring circle, and the occasional challenge made their way there by late afternoon, my most common participants were members of Solstice, Golden Fang and Tristan from Ember Blades. Jane aimed to improve her technique and abilities with using her light element in tandem with her spear. Kell took to further improving his wind and lightning mastery upon seeing my use of the two as well. Those from Golden Fang simply sought to have spars to further deepen their experience in combat, openly admitting to the value in expanding beyond spell work. Verren specifically added illusion magic to bring a creative layer to his battle style, throwing echoes and ghostly feints into each fray.

  Bren answered to her earlier mentions having fire and lightning as her main elemental focuses, the elements dancing in her hands as she sparred with the rest of her group. She was Journeyman tier in the lightning element, and favored whip-fast, and stun-like attacks. Her fire element provided a finishing touch to overwhelm her opponents rather than a typical concussive force most practitioners chose.

  All of Golden Fang were in their third year at the Mage Academy. This was their final year and encouraged building practical experience as opposed to the theoretical and controlled environment that the other years brought.

  “You’re still holding back,” Jane huffed after her latest match with me.

  I gave a half-shrug. “As I should.”

  “Don’t dodge the point.”

  “I’ll ramp up when you earn it.”

  Elara chuckled. “He’s got a point you know.”

  Bren leaned her head against my shoulder, sweat on her brow but a smirk playing at her lips. “Let him Jane. We’ll chip away at him eventually.”

  At night, the Folly remained our sanctuary. Laughter stretched long into the evening. Stories flowed with the ale.

  I began to truly consider them my friends. And with no obligations, I didn’t need to watch my back.

  The days grew into routine.

  And that, strangely, felt like progress.

  * * *

  The wooden walls of the Adventurer’s Folly still creaked the same when the wind pushed through the windows. The smell of ale and woodsmoke lingered near the hearth. And Todd’s laugh—loud and infectious—echoed from behind the bar, mixing with Kell’s sharp banter.

  We’d only just returned from the Renhold Dungeon. My pace was steady with Silver Rank missions as I closed in on Gold. With the dungeon cleared and a string of commissions behind me, I was only one High Level and two Mid-Level missions away from qualifying for it.

  I leaned against the wall near the hearth, arms behind my head, half-listening to the group’s conversations. Bren sat beside me, her thigh pressed against mine.

  Mira animatedly broke down the difference between ironwood roots and miner’s fungus to a half-interested Colt. Elara had already stepped out earlier. Both she and Verren returned home for the night.

  Kell and Todd were caught in one of their usual back-and-forths at the table with Ozzy playing a non-committal mediator. Jane sat next to Devin, occasionally sipping from her tankard, as they watched the two.

  Then Todd broke the rhythm.

  "Anyone else hear about Kael Laos?” he asked, his tone shifting just enough to draw attention.

  “The mine owner?” Mira asked, glancing over. “From Valdros?”

  “Yeah. Apparently, he’s been pulling in Mercenary Guild contracts. Lots of them. High-profile types, too.”

  Colt raised an eyebrow. “The Guild hasn’t posted anything from him?”

  “Mercs are cheaper when it comes to guard work,” Kell said. “Straight coin for protection. No exploration or monster clearance. Most merchants don’t bother as a calculated risk.”

  “But if he’s hiring that many, something’s happening down there.” Ozzy added with a snort.

  I recalled the tensions between the Mercs and the Guild. The contracts seemed to facilitate these rumors considering we were competitors.

  “You think he’s found something in his mine?”

  “Richer ore, maybe,” Mira mused. “Some workers think they hit deeper veins, purer than anything topside.”

  “Or,” Bren added, “they found something that isn’t ore.”

  “That’s vague.” I snorted.

  “I was going for the pin drop silence.”

  Mera, sitting at the neighboring table, leaned over without looking up from her plate. “I’ve overheard parties waiting on when the Guild will get requests from Kael. They think if he’s still hiring that many, adventurers may get the opportunity too.”

  Tristan, newly arrived, kicked a chair toward the table and dropped into it. “Delving for a rich miner would be a nice change of pace.”

  “It’s not a dungeon,” Mira reminded him. “And Kael isn’t the type to hire blindly. He wants things catalogued and reclaimed. He’s a businessman first.”

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  Jane narrowed her eyes slightly. “And that points him in our direction.”

  “Artifacts, valuables. Anything he can claim and resell.”

  No one said it, but I could see it on their faces. The promise of something new. Something unknown. And from the sounds of it, we weren’t the only ones interested.

  "What’s your take on this Koa? If it comes to the Guild, are you taking a mission?" Tristan asked.

  Bren turned toward me slightly, brushing her shoulder against mine. Her voice was casual. “He will.”

  I looked at her. “Confident, aren’t you?”

  She smirked. “It’s not like you’d let us go without you.”

  Kell added. “Exploration. Been a while since we got to walk into the unknown.”

  Devin grunted. “The unknown did almost kill us in our first Silver floor run.”

  “That’s the fun part.”

  Their voices blurred for a moment behind the firelight and low timber of conversation, but I caught the undercurrent. Beneath the joking and ease, everyone was already measuring their next step. Kael Laos had something planned and he wanted the best Tolany had to offer. And if the Guild got involved, there were many ready to answer the call.

  “Sounds like we are all onboard then,” I said.

  Todd grinned. “See? Told you he’d come around.”

  Ozzy raised his mug. “To ruins, riches, and hopefully not getting cursed.”

  A round of clinks followed.

  For now, the night was light, the company familiar, and the path ahead just beginning to clear.

  * * *

  Evening settled over the Guild with a lazy warmth. The long tables were half-filled adventurers catching up after their earlier engagements or simply eating like they hadn’t seen food in days.

  I sat near a corner with Bren to my right and Mira across from us. The others filled out the space around us—Todd, Devin, Ozzy, Jane, Kell, Tristan, and Mera.

  "So," Todd began, "When do you lot head back to the Academy?"

  “End of the month,” Mira replied, popping a grape into her mouth. “That’s when third-term formal reviews end. Verren and Elara wanted to stay until the new spell cycles were cataloged.”

  “They just wanted more time away from professors breathing down their necks,” Bren muttered, though there was a smile tugging at her lips.

  “I mean… can you blame them?” Kell said. “Three years of spell study and lectures. I’d want a break too.”

  Bren leaned toward me, bumping her shoulder against mine. “What’ll you do once we’re all gone and you’re not chasing a goblin? Sit alone on rooftops again and stare off into the wind like some brooding statue?”

  “Alone. Sounds peaceful. No?”

  “You’ll miss me,” she said, smirking.

  Before I could get another word in, the main doors creaked open and a breeze swept through the hall, pulling in with it the scent of dust and parchment. A clerk, young, straight-backed, and carrying a rolled sheet, strode across the floor with purpose. The noise around us drowned and shifted as she moved past the tables and toward the Mission Board near the front.

  She unrolled the parchment, took a small mallet from her side, and hammered the notice into place with two firm strikes.

  Then she turned, cleared her throat, and called out in a voice that rang against the rafters.

  * * *

  "A new request has been posted,” she announced. “I am sure many saw this coming but at the behest of Kael Laos, owner of the Valdros Mine, the Guild has received formal notice for a sanctioned exploration of a ruin uncovered beneath the mine.”

  Several heads turned. Conversations lowered to murmurs. The usual clang of mugs and dice dulled.

  I glanced around the table. Todd was grinning from ear to ear. Bren had a conical ‘I told you so’ lift to her chin, while Mira’s elbowed Tristan and whispered into his ear. Tristan stopped midway through his drink to smile at that.

  The clerk continued, unrolling the parchment and pinning it to the board with two clean taps of a brass tack. “The mission is being temporarily ranked as Bronze. This is not a permanent designation. The Guild has elected to restrict the mission to Bronze Rank and above while more information is gathered. Initial delves will determine its long-term rank and accessibility.”

  "Scouting phase," Jane muttered.

  The clerk went on. “The primary objective is to explore the ruin’s depth and confirm stability for extended operation. Adventurers will be expected to clear any monster threats and ensure safe corridors for the miners. Participants must also coordinate with Mercenary Guild detachments currently stationed on-site.

  “The Guild will be prioritizing parties with proven track records,” the clerk continued. “Those interested should understand this is an active site with working miners and Mercenary Guild personnel present. Conflict is to be avoided unless necessary. Your responsibility is the ruin, not the politics.

  “All artifacts discovered must be returned to the Guild for proper documentation. Full mapping of the ruin will be considered a secondary objective and will yield partial rewards in the absence of significant finds.”

  “A light sweep and survey,” Todd murmured.

  “Translation,” Ozzy said, “No black market flipping.”

  Kell added. “Tough sell for some of the more prominent opportunists.”

  The clerk stepped back from the board, brushing her palms together. “Signups for eligible ranks will begin now. Higher-ranked parties will receive priority access. Further details will be provided to those approved after selection.”

  And just like that, the parchment was up. Still fluttering slightly on the board.

  A few parties in the corner were already gathering their things. No one sprinted toward the board, but I could feel the momentum building.

  I glanced at the others. Bren met my eyes and smiled. Mira and Tristan exchanged a look of their own.

  “As good a timing as any.” Jane asked us, tilting her chin toward the posting.

  Ozzy said. “First wave will give us the lay of the place before it gets too crowded.”

  “I’m game,” Mira added. “Assuming we get in before the greedy ones flood the halls.”

  “Kell’s coming,” Devin said, nudging Mira. “And he will not be outdone.”

  “OP-POR-TUN-IST” Kell intoned.

  The banter continued while my mind went elsewhere. My hand rested on the table’s edge, fingers curled loosely. The idea of a delve didn’t spark dread. My last engagement with a ruin was not by my choice and certainly with nothing to gain for myself. I was hopeful this time around it would be worth uncovering.

  Bren brought back my attention as she asked me. “You in?”

  “I’ll go,”

  Each of them had made up their minds already and I did enjoy the adventure this brought with them.

  Bren smiled, just one of those small, quiet ones that stuck with me. “Would’ve been weird without you.”

  “You get weird enough with me around,” I said, and that earned a soft laugh from her, a chuckle from Mira, and a snort from Todd.

  Across the hall, a second clerk started a sign-up line at the Guild desk. Small groups broke off and began drifting that way.

  “We should register before they start picking favorites,” Kell said, standing.

  “Let’s see what this ruin has waiting,” Mera said.

  * * *

  The line was slow-moving, but it didn’t matter. None of us were in a rush. A certain calm had taken over since the mission posting was announced. Conversation drifted, naturally, like wind through open windows.

  “What do you think we’ll find?” Mira muttered, glancing up at the board again, where the thick parchment of the exploration mission remained tacked in place. “Ancient civilization? Buried tomb? A Labyrinth?”

  “I’m getting ancient tones from this one.” Verren replied.

  “Either way, Kael Laos must think there’s a treasure hoard down there.” Elara added.

  “Which is why he’s not shy about throwing coin around,” Ozzy said. “Did you see the reward bracket listed? Even the base payout is more than what we got from Renhold’s Bronze low Areas.”

  Kell elbowed Todd lightly in the ribs. “You going to carry the torch again?”

  Todd grumbled, rubbing at the back of his neck. “We all agreed not to talk about it again.”

  “I hope you do carry it,” Jane said, chuckling.

  The clerk, a man in his early thirties with streaks of gray in his beard, called out, “Next group!”

  That quiet buzz of conversation paused as our turn came up. The clerk looked us over and nodded approvingly.

  “You’re all Bronze or higher, right?”

  We gave our confirmations one by one. The clerk jotted our names and party affiliations down. When he got to me, he paused, not bothering to hide the recognition. “Stillblade, right? Frankly, good to know someone like you’s joining.”

  I gave a slight incline of my head.

  The clerk cleared his throat and addressed us as a group. “The mission is officially Bronze Rank. That’s a temporary ranking. Higher ranked adventurers from early waves will assess and report on danger levels. If deemed safe enough, Iron ranks may be allowed to enlist after the first wave returns.”

  He shuffled some papers, then tapped the top one.

  “You’ll be expected to reach Valdros within three days. That’s standard travel time, and the miners will be expecting the first batch of adventurers to arrive then. Mission directives are straightforward: delve the ruins, clear any immediate threats—particularly monsters—and notify the miners and their Mercenary Guild escorts of any findings that may shift the danger level.”

  He slid a second parchment across the desk. “Artifacts are to be reported and returned to the Guild for full payout. If that’s not feasible, a detailed mapping of the explored ruin will earn you a minor reward. Anything hidden or kept secret from the Guild during this mission will be treated as grounds for penalty.”

  We all nodded in understanding.

  “No estimated duration,” he added. “Explore at your pace.”

  He leaned back. “You’re all approved. Official start in three days.”

  With that, we stepped aside. Another group filtered in behind us.

  Mira exhaled hard. “Guess it’s real now.”

  “You nervous?” Jane asked her.

  “Not really,” Mira said, then looked to me. “We’re bringing the Stillblade.”

  “You do make a good fallback plan,” Todd added, grinning.

  “What’s this about a torch?,” I said dryly.

  Todd covered his face with his hands, drawing a round of short laughs.

  It was strange, really. Everyone here had come with their own reasons—coin, exploration, excitement. Me? I didn’t have a burning curiosity about ruins and walking toward danger didn’t bother me. I’d yet to really use my full strength and was doubting it would be required.

  The others filled the space with more banter and back-and-forths about other topics. I watched the light from the high windows shift as the sun crept further west.

  Three days.

  It wouldn’t be long.