The adventurers' office in Green Leaf Village was small. The ceiling was supported by wooden beams, and the smell of ink, sweat, and old monster hides mingled with the air. I pushed through the doors, still wrapped in my cloak, leaving only the strong trace of my aura visible.
And that's when I saw her.
The girl from yesterday. The dwarf who had swung her sword against the wolves outside the village walls. Shorter than me by a head, clad in chainmail patched with leather, and carrying a blade almost as tall as she was. Her chestnut hair was braided tight to keep it from getting in her eyes, and her gaze was sharp, steady like she was always braced for another fight.
I probed her with my Soul Page, the setup glowing faintly before my eyes.
[Alenya Dawnsunder]
Class: Swordmaster
Rank: D-
Affinity: Earth
Talent: High Combat Instincts
Weakness: Hesitation under pressure
Well, it seemed she did possess talent. No surprise that she had been able to hold her own with those wolves with her group. But talent was for nothing if you didn't risk putting it to use.
I took a step forward, ignoring the suspicious glares of the guild clerk. "Girl," I said, my voice low and even, "be my disciple."
Her eyes darted to mine or, rather, to the hood that shaded my face. Her lips twisted into a scowl. "Are you drunk?"
"I don't drink."
"Then you're mad.Why should I be your disciple?" She squared her shoulders.
"I am a high ranker."
"You cover your face, your aura's multiple leagues higher than mine, and you just come at me demanding followership? You think I'm stupid?"
A smile slipped my lips. Blunt and skeptical. She deserved to be wary but it also meant she would stay small. "Not stupid but blind to opportunity."
She balled her fist on the hilt of her sword, but she did not swing. She turned away from me instead. "Want someone to chase after you, show your face. Until then, don't waste my time."
I let her go. No use pushing. Eventually, power would pull her to me. For the time being, I had other matters.
– – –
The ore had occurred in cave deposits on the edge of the cliffs along the border of the Verdant Deep Forest, a place whispered from the adventurers office. It was said to glow pale under moonlight, and its guards were ferocious beasts. Perfectly okay for me.
By nightfall, I had entered the forest. The canopy above consumed light, leaving wan stripes of sun breaking through. Roots curled like snakes across the ground, and the air was filled with the song of insects. I walked in the direction the blacksmith instructed me, toward the cliffs.
The scent of blood reached my nose first.
An animal exploded out of the underbrush, all muscle and fur, eyes burning with hunger. A Shadowfang Panther of C-Rank. Its body rippled as it darted back and forth, its movements calculated to confuse prey.
I raised my hand. This stupid monster did what others dared not. Fearless, I will give you that.
A miniature formation of shimmering runes spun into being before my palm a small configuration, lines crossing like threads of moonlight. Magic exploded, and the air vibrated.
[Flame Spark]
The runes expanded, blazing with greater brilliance as the casting became larger in scope. The double circle of their reach doubled its size, tapping into the killer desire of the beast to focus upon. Then, with a hiss, a sphere of blinding fire erupted forth.
The panther dodged, fast but too late. The fire lashed its flank, burning fur and flesh. It screamed, flipping somersault-style in mid-leap, and charged once more.
I thrust my other hand out. Another design emerged, this one broader, more complex. The lines radiated outward, and the ground itself seemed to pulse with heat.
[Overcharge]
A pillar of fire erupted from the runes, engulfing the beast whole. When the fire had incinerated, a charred hulk remained, the acrid stench of seared flesh wafting up between the trees.
The forest lay still. Not an animal stirred nearby.
I slowly exhaled, warmth escaping from my fingers. Then I walked on to the cliffs.
Another hour brought me to them and a splintered wall of rock that pushed into the canopy, veins of silver-blue ore that reflected palely within crevices. Even in the sun's declining light, they shone like starlight captured.
Moonstone Ore.
I drew out my short sword, the hilt cumbersome and inferior to what I now understood the blacksmith was capable of crafting. Inserting the blade into a cleft, I shaved away with measured caution. The rock was recalcitrant, and only when the arc of concentrated strikes built strength did a shard finally break free.
The shard glowed softly in my palm. Chilled, almost as if I'd held a fragment of starry night.
Perfect.
I filled my pouches some more, humming softly against my skin. As I finished, the moon came up, and the ore glowed with an increased light, shining silver on the floor of the forest.
As I turned to leave, there was one thought left.
Alenya Dawnsunder. A dwarf who had hesitation in her spirit but steel in her blood. She had the makings of a blade but only if someone sharpened her.
And I had no desire to let such a sword go to rust in obscurity.
But first, the Moonstone Ore was a priority.
I folded my cape around me more closely and set back towards Green Leaf Village, the light of the stones illuminating the way through dark woodland.