The Guild's great doors slammed open with enough force to rattle the chandelier.Heads turned. Conversations died mid-sentence. Adventurers of every rank froze as Mika stormed in first, his boots echoing against the marble floor. Kuro and Lucien trailed behind, clearly less eager to make an entrance.
[Well, subtlety's dead. Guess we're starting with chaos today.]
{You're not wrong.}
"Master!" Mika barked, striding up to the large oak desk at the end of the hall.
The Guild Master—a burly man with greying hair and eyes that looked like they'd seen centuries of bad decisions—sighed before even looking up. "What did you break this time, Mika?"
Lucien muttered, "He's not even surprised. That's concerning."
"I didn't break anything," Mika said sharply. "Kuro nearly unleashed something ancient and cursed, and I want the ruins sealed before anyone else wanders in."
That got the room's attention.
"What do you mean unleashed?" the Master asked, leaning forward. "Be specific."
Kuro winced under the scrutiny. "It wasn't intentional. There was… a gate. It reacted to me."
[Understatement of the f***ing year.]
Mika's jaw tightened. "It wasn't a reaction—it was recognition. The thing knew his name."
Murmurs spread across the hall like wildfire. A few adventurers whispered, glancing at Kuro with open curiosity—or fear.
The Master held up a hand, silencing them. "And what exactly did it say?"
Kuro hesitated. "That… I can't run from what I am."
A pause. The Master's expression darkened, deep lines carving into his face. "That's… ominous."
Lucien leaned on the desk, smirking despite the tension. "Yeah, that's one word for it. Terrifying's another."
[Oh, look at him. Mr. Calm-under-pressure. Bet he practices that smirk in the mirror.]
Kuro's lips twitched. {Elvastia, please—}
[Nope. He's too smooth. Probably flirts with ghosts.]
Mika's eye twitched. "Stop flirting with the damn Guild Master and take this seriously."
Lucien blinked. "Who's flirting?"
"You," Mika snapped, "with your face."
Lucien laughed. "You sound jealous again."
The entire Guild went silent.
Mika turned toward him slowly. "Say that again."
Kuro quickly stepped in, waving his hands nervously. "O-Okay! Enough! We're all just tired, right?"
[Oh, this is gold. We should sell tickets.]
"Not helping," Kuro muttered under his breath.
The Guild Master cleared his throat loudly, breaking the tension. "As much as I enjoy the soap opera unfolding in front of me, let's focus. You said the gate opened, yes? How far?"
"Halfway," Mika said immediately. "But I stopped it."
The Master gave a long exhale. "Then we'll need to seal it magically. I'll send a cleansing team by dawn."
Kuro frowned. "Will that really be enough? It… felt like something inside wanted out."
The Master's gaze softened, just slightly. "Then we'll make damn sure it stays in. You three did well to come back in one piece."
Lucien smiled faintly. "We aim to impress."
Mika shot him a glare. "You aim to talk too much."
Lucien ignored him, still grinning.
The Guild Master scribbled something on a parchment, stamping it with the Guild's seal. "You're off duty for the next three days. Rest. You'll need it."
"Understood," Mika said curtly, turning away.
As they left, the murmurs started again—low, uncertain whispers.
"Did you hear that?""They said the elf triggered it.""Ancient magic? Sounds cursed."
Kuro heard every word. His steps faltered for just a second.
Mika noticed. "Ignore them."
Kuro forced a nod. "Yeah… I'm used to it."
Mika's expression tightened, but he said nothing.
[He's pissed on your behalf again. You're like his emotional weak spot. It's kinda cute.]
{You're making it sound weird.}
[It is weird. That's what makes it fun.]
Lucien looked over his shoulder, smirking. "You two having your usual telepathic lovers' spat?"
Mika groaned. "Lucien."
Lucien raised his hands in mock surrender. "What? You make it too easy."
They stepped out into the evening light. The city buzzed around them, unaware that something ancient and dangerous now stirred beneath its roots.
Kuro looked back once at the Guild's looming doors, a faint ache twisting in his chest.
{Elvastia… that voice isn't gone, is it?}
[No. It's waiting. You felt it too, didn't you? That whisper under your skin?]
{Yeah.}
[Then we're not done. Not by a long shot.]
Mika glanced at him, sensing the change in his aura. "Kuro?"
"I'm fine," Kuro said quietly.
Mika didn't buy it—but he didn't push either. "Let's get food. You look like you'll pass out any second."
Lucien grinned. "Finally, something I agree with."
[He's got good priorities. Feed the cursed elf before the apocalypse starts again.]
Kuro sighed but smiled faintly. "Yeah. Food sounds nice."
And as the three of them disappeared into the busy streets, the faint hum of distant magic stirred behind them—so soft, so low, it almost sounded like laughter.