After the last few days, Vailor seemed strangely… normal.
The streets were still crowded, merchants shouted inflated prices as if the world weren't on the brink of something bad, children ran between stalls, and the guild remained far too noisy for a place that gathered so many tired people. Even so, I felt it. The flame inside me wasn't restless like before, but it wasn't at rest either. It was like a tensed muscle, waiting for an impact that hadn't happened yet.
We were sitting at the back table of the guild, the same one as always. Vespera tried to add up coins and got it wrong for the third time in a row.
"This doesn't make sense," she grumbled, staring at the coins as if they were to blame. "I was sure this added up to more."
"They don't multiply on their own," Elara replied, massaging her temple. "And even if they did, I wouldn't have the mana to deal with it today."
Liriel watched the scene with a small smile, almost proud of herself, even though she wasn't doing anything useful at all.
"If you need it," she said, "I can cast a light spell to illuminate the coins better."
"No," Elara, Vespera, and I said at the same time.
Liriel blinked a few times. "Wow. Aggressive."
Despite the light tone, something was wrong. Not at the table. In the entire guild. The sound was… different. Not quieter, but restrained. As if the conversations instinctively avoided certain topics.
That's when I noticed the foreigners.
They didn't wear Vailor's colors. Their cloaks were too light, with tones that reminded me of young leaves and polished silver. The embroidered symbols didn't belong to any local guild. And the strangest thing was their posture. None of them seemed impressed by anything around them.
They were observing.
One of them spoke with the Guild Master. I couldn't hear the words, but I saw the reaction. The old man's face changed. It wasn't surprise. It was recognition.
"Takumi," Elara murmured. "Are you seeing this?"
"I am."
Vespera leaned back in her chair. "Do these guys look like trouble or money?"
"Both," I replied.
The Guild Master discreetly pointed in our direction. One of the foreigners turned his face toward me at that exact moment. His eyes were light, but not empty. Evaluating. Like someone measuring a blade before deciding whether it was worth wielding.
He approached.
"Takumi," he said, pronouncing my name perfectly. "The guild of Vailor confirms that you are the leader of this group."
"Depends on the day," I replied. "Today, maybe."
He nodded, as if that answer confirmed something he already knew. "My name doesn't matter. Not yet. We come from another kingdom."
Vespera crossed her arms. "Great. Are you here for tourism or to collect taxes?"
He ignored the comment. "We came because there is demonic movement beyond the standard in this region. A dungeon that does not behave like a dungeon. Organized troops. Clear hierarchy."
The flame inside me reacted lightly. It didn't burn. It recognized.
"Elves," I murmured.
The man smiled for the first time. "Perceptive."
Liriel leaned forward. "If you are elves, why speak with human adventurers instead of acting on your own?"
"Because," he replied, "whatever is commanding that dungeon does not respond well to our direct presence."
Silence fell over the table.
Elara was the first to break it. "You want help."
"We want cooperation," he corrected. "And observation."
"Observation of what?" I asked.
He looked directly at me. "Of you."
The guild seemed distant at that moment. The noise slowly returned, as if someone had released the air trapped in their chest. Even so, the world around me felt narrower.
"Why me?" I asked.
"Because there are consistent reports," he replied, "that the energy you carry causes anomalous reactions in ancient demonic structures."
Vespera made a low sound. "Ah. So now he's a documented problem."
Liriel tilted her head. "I always said his flame wasn't common."
No one commented.
The elf continued. "Our guild will send a representative. A leader. He will evaluate the situation personally."
"And when will that happen?" I asked.
"Soon."
He turned to leave, but paused for a moment. "A warning, Takumi. The dungeon is not growing. It is being prepared."
"Prepared for what?"
He looked over his shoulder. "For war."
When he left, no one spoke for several seconds.
Vespera was the first. "Okay. So now we have interested elves, organized demons, and a military dungeon. Normal."
Elara took a deep breath. "I don't like this. When powerful people start observing instead of acting, it's because they know something big is about to happen."
Liriel looked at me. "They didn't come by chance."
I knew.
The flame inside me was hot. Not aggressive. Not desperate. But awake.
Something was moving. And for the first time since I arrived in Vailor, I had the clear feeling that the next step would not be taken by us.
It would be imposed.
And the worst was still to come.