The morning light broke gently through the windows of their home. The scent of toast and warm tea filled the kitchen, mingling with the hush of quiet preparations. Aria, still sleepy-eyed but trying her best to be brave, sat at the table with Mia, nibbling on a piece of jam-covered bread.
Liora moved methodically, checking her gear one last time, blade sharpened, armor fastened tight, cloak rolled and packed. Tessa, crouched by her pack, finished buckling the last strap on her boots.
"You've checked that three times," Liora said with a small smirk.
Tessa blinked, then huffed softly. "Yeah… I know. Just nervous, I guess."
"It's good to be nervous," Liora replied gently. "It means we'll stay sharp."
Aria slid off her chair and ran to Tessa, wrapping her arms around her. "You and Liora have to come back soon, okay?"
Tessa hugged her tight. "We will. Promise."
Liora knelt beside them both, placing a hand on Aria's back. "Be good for Mia, little star."
"I will," Aria said, tears welling at the edges of her eyes. "You come back, mommy."
Liora's heart clenched, but she held her daughter close and whispered, "Always."
The sun had just begun its slow descent when Liora and Tessa arrived at the guild hall. The stone walls of the building glowed orange in the fading light, and a sense of urgency hung in the air as other adventurer teams checked maps, loaded supplies, and murmured in tight circles.
Near the mission board stood Garth, arms crossed, face calm as ever. Beside him, Nellie leaned against a post, tossing a small dagger into the air and catching it with practiced ease.
"You made it," Garth said with a curt nod.
"Course we did," Tessa replied, more confidently than she felt.
"Just in time," Nellie said, pushing off the post. "Got our supply satchel and a map copy from the guildmaster. We're on the northwest trail, a five-hour walk to the edge of the disturbance zone. We'll camp just inside the forest tonight."
"Think we'll encounter anything before dawn?" Liora asked.
Nellie shrugged. "Doubtful. But Garth and I already took a sweep yesterday, tracks suggest monsters are nesting deeper in. The weird thing is, there are too many nests. Way too many."
"Something stirred them," Garth added. "Something unnatural."
Liora's gaze hardened. "Then let's find out what."
The four set off as the sun began to vanish behind the horizon. With the last rays of daylight trailing behind them and the first calls of nightbirds echoing through the woods, they crossed the tree line and entered the dense, whispering wilds of the Northern Forest.
Every step forward took them deeper into the shadow.