Thornton

  I draw my sword, its weight familiar in my grip, and Gashiaz unsheathes her twin daggers, the blades catching the faint moonlight.

  "I'm not sure if you two realize," Hue begins, his voice calm but firm, "but these are just your average run-of-the-mill bandits. That doesn't mean we can afford to be careless."

  "Look, they've got shiny weapons too," one of the bandits jeers, laughter echoing through the quiet night.

  Anger rises in me, a pressure building behind my eyes—not the kind that comes with tears but something different, more intense. A strange energy courses through me, and purple mana begins to leak from my eyes, casting a faint glow. When I catch my reflection in the blade of my sword, I'm startled by the brilliant, vivid purple that stares back.

  "Those eyes..." one bandit mutters, his tone shifting to unease.

  "He's Liche," another growls, his grin widening. "We'll get a fortune for killing this one."

  One of the bandits lunges at me, his sword arcing through the air in a heavy swing.

  CLANK! CLINK! CLANK!

  I parry each blow effortlessly, my movements fluid and precise. The others watch, weapons ready but seemingly content to let the fight unfold. The bandit, frustrated by my defense, winds up for another powerful strike, leaving himself open. I seize the moment, thrusting my blade forward in a clean, decisive stab to his sternum.

  His body stiffens, his sword still raised overhead. Blood trickles from the corners of his mouth, but he smiles through it.

  "The legends... are true," he rasps.

  With my glowing eyes fixed on him, I twist the blade viciously before pulling it free. A single swing follows, severing his head from his shoulders. His lifeless body collapses to the ground as the others charge.

  Gashiaz moves swiftly, loosing an arrow that finds its mark in one bandit's skull. As the body crumples, she hurls a dagger into another's chest, dropping him instantly. I summon a fireball, its heat singing the air as it connects with one of the last two assailants, leaving only one standing.

  The remaining bandit's eyes are locked on me, his sinister smile unwavering.

  "Those guys were weak compared to me," he sneers.

  "Well, now it's three on one," Hue retorts, gripping his staff. "Your odds aren't great."

  We close ranks, Hue on the left, Gashiaz on the right with her bow drawn, and me in the center. But as the bandit's mana swells, thick and oppressive, Hue and Gashiaz freeze in place, unable to move. The air grows heavier, but I remain unaffected, my own mana shielding me.

  "Hmm. You win," the bandit says suddenly, his voice casual.

  The tension in the air shatters as he tosses me a rolled-up piece of paper. I catch it, unrolling it to reveal the map from my bag, now marked with updates—cabins, our point of contact, and areas of interest.

  "When did he even—" I begin, but the bandit cuts me off.

  "No matter who I am," he says. "I'll be on my way. And don't worry about your friends in the cabin—no harm will come to them. Today."

  He steps back, a gust of wind swirling around him. "Thornton, I'll see you again soon. And Hue—give the king a message."

  The last words come like a whisper on the wind:

  "My name is my name. Scor is my claim."

  Before we can react, he vanishes. The forest comes alive with the sound of birds scattering, startled by the eerie stillness that follows. A chill runs down my spine.

  "Where did he go?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper, as if the very act of speaking could bring him back.

  "What is Scor?" Gashiaz shouts, her eyes wide with confusion and fear.

  "I don't know, but we must finish our mission by midnight and report back to Emberes," Hue commands, his tone sharp and unwavering, though I can sense the uncertainty lingering beneath his words.

  It's clear that Emberes is the strongest among our six, but would he stand a chance against this mysterious man? Why didn't he kill us when he clearly could have? The questions swirl in my mind like a storm.

  "As rattled as we are, a warrior must fulfill their mission at any cost," Hue says, his words laced with a hard resolve as he strides toward the cabins the man marked for us. Gashiaz and I remain behind, still digesting the strange turn of events, but Hue's focus doesn't waver. He's already moving forward.

  I glance at Gashiaz, who looks as unsettled as I feel. She opens his mouth to speak, but Hue cuts in before she can.

  "Thornton, your eyes earlier... what was that?" Hue asks, his gaze piercing.

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  "I'm not sure," I reply, my voice almost lost to the weight of the moment. "I just got really upset, thought we were going to die. That was my first time experiencing something like that."

  "Your mana didn't increase or decrease," Hue continues, his voice softer now, almost analytical. "But it was controlled—more intense. Every movement you made was precise, purposeful. No action was wasted."

  I can feel the weight of his words settling over me like a cloak. Something inside me shifted today, something I don't fully understand.

  "I think you should figure out what that was," Gashiaz adds, her voice sweet but urgent. "Especially with people like him out there. We need to be ready."

  "I will," I promise, though I don't yet know how.

  "Do you think Jade can do that too?" Hue asks, his curiosity piqued.

  "I'm not sure," I say, frowning. "She hasn't mentioned anything. We can find out when we—"

  "Wait," Gashiaz interrupts, lowering her voice to a whisper.

  "There are lights flickering through those trees," he says, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

  We crouch behind a tree, the world suddenly holding its breath. Through the shadows, I can make out ten figures huddled together, speaking in low voices. I'm shocked that the mysterious man gave us the location of these cabins. Could he be... good? Or are we unknowingly doing his dirty work? No. His mana was pure malice, and he was strong enough to wipe out a squadron on his own. These people don't seem like they could pose much of a threat to him.

  I strain to hear their conversation. Fragments drift through the air like whispers in the wind:

  "The mask isn't here; we've been looking for weeks."

  "It has to be. Legend says it was buried here."

  "We'll pick up tomorrow. Let's call it a night."

  "We'll meet back here tomorrow at the same time to discuss what we've found."

  The group breaks apart, heading into their respective cabins. Hue straightens, eyes focused.

  "We can report this back to the others. And there's no need to scout any vantage points. It's clear this place isn't dangerous." Hue says

  "Do you trust that guy?" I ask, my voice tinged with doubt.

  "I know he's not good," Hue replies, his voice heavy with the weight of experience, "but he doesn't seem like a liar. He could've killed us all back there and didn't. I don't think he'll do it now."

  "Let's keep our story straight, though," Gashiaz says. "We can't let the others know how we got this information. We'll need a believable cover."

  "I know exactly what you're thinking, Gashiaz," Hue says, his eyes narrowing. "If Aszhuak finds out we got all this intel from an enemy, he'd run out and get himself killed trying to track him down. And Thornton... your calmness right now is reassuring. It's good to have someone like you on the team."

  "How many missions have you completed?" Hue asks, turning to me.

  "None," I admit. "This is my first."

  "What?" Gashiaz and Hue exclaim in unison.

  "You act like you've been doing this for years."

  "I haven't. But when it's time to get serious, I can focus. That's all."

  "Have you ever seen real combat?" Gashiaz presses.

  "No," I reply. "Jade and I train hard, but it's nothing like real combat."

  "I find it hard to believe you've never seen combat," Hue says, his gaze appraising. "You killed those bandits without hesitation."

  I can tell by his look that he's burning to ask more questions, but he holds back, sensing the weight of the moment.

  "Should we abandon this mission and report to the Guar Knights?" Gashiaz asks, her voice tentative.

  "No," Hue snaps, the anger in his voice palpable. "If I report this to my father, I'll be seen as weak. He'll never forgive me. I believe when all six of us are together, we stand a real chance against anyone."

  We walk back to the cabin slowly, our footsteps soft on the wet ground. The world around us is eerily silent, the tension hanging heavy in the air. Nothing out of the ordinary happens—nothing except the surprise of those bandits. But even that feels distant now, as if something darker is looming just beyond our reach.

  After a fifteen-minute walk, we arrive at the cabin. But there are no lanterns outside, no welcoming light. The stillness is unsettling, the air thick with the scent of rain. And then it starts. A torrential downpour.

  We dash inside, grateful for shelter, but something is wrong. The cabin feels empty, unnaturally quiet. What if the stranger came and... what if he killed Jade, Aszhuak, and Emberes?

  Fear grips me, and I feel it crawling up my spine as the thought takes root: What if he's waiting for us?

  SNAP!

  The lanterns that had been dark flicker to life. Footsteps echo down the hall, slow and deliberate. With each step, a feeling of dread settles deeper into my bones. A shadow appears, flickering in the lantern's glow—a figure holding something, but it's too dark to make out the details.

  "Happy birthday, Thorton!" Aszhuak and Emberes shout, stepping into the light.

  Aszhuak is holding a cake, still warm and fresh. Emberes stands beside him, a grin spreading across his face. Jade appears last, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

  I blink, trying to shake the unease. "Well, you did want to celebrate our birthday today," Jade says, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips.

  "Shut it!" I snap, the words escaping before I can stop them. There's something about her—about all of this—that feels wrong. She might be more dangerous than the stranger we encountered. A surprise party is debilitating.

  Before we can dive into the details of our scouting, Emberes motions toward the cake. "Let's eat first. We've earned it."

  We indulge in the most delicious cake I've ever tasted. The base is light and airy, as soft as the clouds before a storm. The icing is a perfect blend of fresh strawberries and blueberries, spread evenly across the top. Wild berries are scattered across it, creating a beautiful tapestry of colors. Each bite sends a surge of mana through me, making my senses hum.

  "This cake is worth a thousand gold coins," Hue says, stabbing his fork into the cake for one last bite.

  I smile as I take another forkful. Just the anticipation of the next bite puts me in a relaxed state, a rare moment of peace. But then—

  "SCOR!"

  I jump, my sword already in my hand before I even realize I've drawn it. My fork and cake fall to the floor, the chair scraping the wooden floor with an ear-splitting screech.

  Everyone stares at me, confused.

  "Um, are you okay?" Emberes asks, his voice filled with concern.

  "Ha-ha, of course," I stammer, trying to shake off the sudden rush of panic. "Just staying limber. You know, keeping my reflexes sharp."

  "Ah, I get it," Aszhuak says, nodding. "An attack could happen at any moment. Always good to stay ready."

  "That's right," I reply, my voice strained.

  But deep inside, I'm shaken. That voice—Scor—it was so clear. It felt like the stranger was right there, in the room with us. The fear that gripped me was unlike anything I'd ever felt, even after my nightmare.

  "Scor..." I murmur under my breath, the name echoing in my mind.

  We finish the cake, our conversation shifting back to the mission. Twenty minutes later, we've agreed on our course of action and the new location on the map. We've filled the others in on the bandits but left out any mention of the mysterious man. Emberes is relieved that we made it out unharmed.

  I retire to the room with Jade and Emberes, who are already sound asleep. I lie in bed, replaying the word "Scor" over and over in my mind, trying to shake the feeling of dread that clings to me. Only then, as sleep starts to claim me, do I finally slip into a restless slumber.