The morning wind at the Pillar of Dawn felt like a blade, carrying with it the damp chill of the Luma Mist. Kael already stood at the western gate, his heart pounding against his ribs. He wore the thick clothes Ryu had given him: a dark, layered cloak, sturdy leather gloves, and robust boots. A small backpack containing basic supplies hung on his back.
Ryu was already waiting, leaning against the Lumen wall. He said nothing, simply nodding subtly towards Kael. This was the first time Kael had seen Ryu in his Lumina Explorer gear: a thick, dark leather jacket, a worn but well-maintained blade at his hip, and several spare Lumen crystals tucked into his belt. Ryu's aura felt different outside the Academy's oversight—sharper, more dangerous, like a predator ready to strike.
The gate guard, a heavily bearded man, observed them. "Be careful, Explorer Ryu. The Mist feels thick this morning."
Ryu merely gestured with his hand. The Lumen shield covering the gate began to creak, slowly retracting to the side, creating a narrow opening. As the gap opened, the scent of the Luma Mist surged in, cold and smelling of wet moss, mixed with the faint, unpleasant odor of something else—the smell of Shadows.
Kael stepped into the gap, and the sensation of the Luma Mist immediately enveloped him. It was no longer a whisper or a chill penetrating walls; it was a physical presence, something that pierced every pore of his skin, attempting to invade his mind. His vision instantly blurred, visibility limited to only a few meters. The Pillar of Dawn, magnificent and luminous, was now merely a hazy silhouette behind him. The world had completely transformed.
"Don't panic," Ryu's voice came from beside him, calm and firm. "The Mist will try to disorient you. It's not about seeing, Kael. It's about feeling."
They stepped forward, slowly. Kael tried to feel. The air, the damp ground beneath his feet. The whispers of the mist, now louder and more personal, attempting to creep into his mind, stirring fear and doubt. "You are lost... you won't return... this is your end..."
Kael felt his Lumen surge, trying to react to the whispers. He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering Ryu's lesson. Control. Don't let emotions take over. He took a deep breath, focusing his mind. Slowly, the whispers subsided, returning to a background hum.
"Good," Ryu commented, the first sound Kael had heard from his mentor since they entered the mist. "That's the first step."
They continued walking, without a clear direction for Kael. Ryu moved with impressive stealth, as if he were part of the mist itself. Every step was calculated. Kael observed. Ryu occasionally extended his hand, as if feeling the air, or paused, tilting his head as if listening to something Kael couldn't hear.
"The Luma Mist has patterns," Ryu explained without looking back. "It moves, it pulses. And the Shadows... they're part of its pattern. Feel the vibrations in the ground, changes in temperature, even the humidity in the air. Those are all clues."
Kael tried. He focused his Shadow Detection, a sensation he now recognized. There was a faint pulse in the distance, like a strange heartbeat.
"Kael, eight meters ahead, left," Ryu suddenly said. "One Soul Murmurer. Hidden behind a fallen tree."
Kael frowned. He hadn't felt it clearly yet. He activated his Lumen Stream, readying himself.
"Don't use your Lumen indiscriminately," Ryu admonished, his voice sharper this time. "Lumen attracts. If you're weak, you'll draw more than you can handle. Use it only when necessary."
Ryu drew a short knife from its sheath, coating the blade with a faint Lumen glow. He stepped forward with smooth, swift movements, as if gliding. A brief hiss sounded, and silence returned. Ryu was back at Kael's side, his knife unblemished. The Soul Murmurer had vanished.
"Observe," Ryu said. "Efficiency. Every Lumen you use is energy that could save your life later."
They continued to move. Kael began to try and sense his surroundings with his other senses. He felt the dampness of the softening earth, the air growing slightly colder on one side. He focused on the sound of dripping water from overhead leaves, trying to distinguish it from illusory whispers.
About an hour later, they reached a slightly more open area, but the Mist here felt denser and heavier. Kael sensed stronger Shadow pulses around them.
"Mist Hunters," Ryu said, his voice now tense. "Three. They're tracking us."
Kael felt his adrenaline surge. Mist Hunters were far more dangerous than Soul Murmurers. They were savage monsters that could tear a human body apart. He activated his Lumen, this time more carefully, focusing it into his palm.
From the mist emerged large figures, shaped like pitch-black wolves, with glowing red eyes and shimmering claws. They moved in formation, attempting to surround the two of them.
"You deal with the one in front," Ryu commanded. "I'll handle the others."
Ryu darted forward, his sword flashing with a faint blue light, engaging two Hunters directly. The sound of claws grating against Lumen echoed, followed by guttural roars. Kael knew Ryu wouldn't be able to hold them off forever. This was his chance.
The third Hunter lunged. Kael didn't panic. He remembered Ryu's lesson. Detection. Movement. He felt the shadow coming, fast. He activated his Flash Step, not to attack, but to evade. He darted sideways, leaving the Hunter to smash into empty ground.
"Good! Now, attack!" Ryu shouted from a distance, his voice strained as he parried another claw.
Kael turned. He focused his Lumen, drawing all the energy he could muster. Anger mixed with burning determination in his chest. He didn't want to fail. He wouldn't fail. He aimed his hand at the Hunter, and Kael's "Solar Burst" exploded.
The pure, hot golden light struck the Mist Hunter squarely. The monster shrieked, its voice no longer an animalistic roar, but a cry of spiritual agony. Its form began to dissipate, melting like wax under sunlight. Slowly but surely, the Hunter disintegrated into smoke and vanished.
Kael gasped, his body trembling violently. Almost all his Lumen was depleted. He felt a pain in his head, as if being pulled from within. But this time, he didn't lose consciousness. He remained upright.
Ryu, who had finished with his two Hunters (they were now just disappearing wisps of smoke), walked closer. He looked at Kael, his gaze unreadable.
"Not bad," Ryu said, finally. It was the first compliment Kael had ever heard from him. "You maintained consciousness. That's progress."
Kael almost smiled, but he was too exhausted.
"However," Ryu continued, his tone flat again. "You used too much Lumen. Out there, you won't have time to recover between fights. We will keep moving."
Ryu pointed forward, towards the denser Luma Mist. "This is just the beginning, Kael. Our journey is still long. We're going to search for a 'Solar Relic' that I know is hidden somewhere around here. This will test your limits."
Kael swallowed, looking at the Mist ahead. He knew what that meant. More Shadows. More danger. But for the first time, he felt a faint sense of pride. He had stepped in. And he hadn't fallen.