Of Myself (Eighty-Days)

Liora came in the morning and watched the fire at night.

She found him by the window, her smile was light but steady.

"Big news," she said. "We've got a mission."

Eryn nodded. "Are you coming with me?"

"We're together until one of us dies." Her hand rested on his shoulder, firm and warm.

They walked through the guild. It was louder now, voices filling the space, it was alive.

"You were the last new one in two years," Liora said.

"Explains the liveliness of the guild today," he said, half-smiling.

"People needed something," she said. "I was glad it was you."

She led him to a wooden door. It creaked as it opened. Inside, the air smelled of earth and the walls seemed to press in.

"Come in," a voice said. It was calm but carried weight.

Liora pulled Eryn forward. "That's Eight. She'll lead us."

Two others sat in the room. They watched as Eryn entered.

Eight was tall and sharp, her eyes calculating but careful. Roan sat with his legs crossed, his body loose but alert. Nia stood by the window, her eyes scanning the street below.

They both seemed like the quiet kind—tuned to the world around them but never quick to show what they thought. Both waiting for the winds to shift.

Eight spoke. "We'll keep this short. Val is missing. Last seen near sector 13. We'll team with 'thieves den' to find him. Questions?"

Roan stood then, his lean frame uncoiling like a spring. His eyes flicked over to Eryn, studying him, sizing him up. "What's our codename?"

Eight looked at him. "King Breaker."

Roan nodded, not surprised. "Guess we're starting small."

Nia turned from the window, her gaze shifting to Eryn, sizing him up as well. There was a quiet intensity to her. She didn't speak yet but moved to gather her gear. Eryn noticed her hand resting lightly on a short sword. It was an easy grip—familiar, practiced.

"You know what to do?" Nia asked Eryn as she secured a few pouches to her belt. She didn't look up.

"I do," he replied, his voice steady.

Eight spoke again, her tone more commanding now. "Roan, Nia, stay alert. Eryn, you're with Liora. We move fast, but we keep our heads. We're in this together. Now let's get moving."

Liora gave Eryn a small nod as the group moved out. Eryn could feel the weight of it now. The quiet tension, the sense that this mission could be more than it seemed.

"Where do we go now?" Eryn asked.

"To the courtyard," Liora said. "We prepare."

Liora stayed by his side as they left the room. The door closed behind them with a quiet thud.

They walked down the hallway, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls. Eryn kept his eyes on the floor. The sound of his boots was the only noise.

Eryn didn't speak. He followed her through the winding hallways. 

"I've heard rumors," Roan muttered as they walked, not looking at anyone in particular.

"People have been disappearing all around the sectors. Not just Val."

"Rumors don't mean anything," Nia said sharply.

"We deal in facts, not hearsay."

The courtyard was filled with the hum of activity. People moved quickly, gathering their packs, securing weapons, and talking in low voices. 

Eight was already there, her posture straight, watching the others with calm authority. She spoke with a few men as they walked past her, but she didn't linger.

Liora stopped next to Eryn. "We leave in an hour. Rest while you can."

"I'm just saying, there's more going on," Roan continued, unfazed.

"Might be more than we're prepared for."

Nia nodded.

Eryn leaned against the stone wall and closed his eyes. The noise of the courtyard faded. All that mattered was the mission now. The rest didn't count.

A while later, Eight gathered the group. Roan, the lean man, was already standing in the front, checking his gear. Nia stood next to him, adjusting the straps on her pack. Her eyes were sharp. She didn't speak but watched everyone.

"Everyone ready?" Eight asked.

They nodded.

"Good," she said. "We move fast. Stay sharp."

She turned toward the gate, and they followed. The air was colder now. The sky had darkened, but it didn't matter. They were on the move.

Eryn walked beside Liora. Her pace was steady. He kept up with her. They said nothing, but the silence was not uncomfortable. It was the silence of focus.

They reached the edge of the Veldria. The houses were dark, empty. There was a stillness that didn't feel right.

The team moved through the cobbled and jagged streets.

"To the old market," Eight said. Her voice sharp.

The market was empty, wood thrown about like a stampede ran through.

"I've been here before," Eryn whispered to Liora.

"Some places change overnight."

Liora looked around, "This side of Veldria as the next." she responded.

The courtyard had an odd feel to it. The usual sounds of life weren't there. Eryn noticed it first, the way the light didn't sit right. Shadows stretched longer, too still.

Roan adjusted his pack. "Strange, isn't it? How quiet things get."

Nia kept her eyes on the street. "It's the quiet you've got to watch."

Eryn looked around again. Nothing moved in the corners where the shadows deepened. He didn't like it, but he said nothing.

As they walked, the city felt empty. People moved quickly, eyes down. They didn't stop to talk. They felt it too.

An old man swept his steps. He stopped as they passed, watching them out of the corner of his eye. His broom scraped the stone, the sound sharp in the quiet.

Roan glanced at Eryn and smirked. "They act like if they don't see it, it isn't there."

Liora didn't say much, but her eyes were always moving. She kept to Eryn's side, steady as ever.

"They know," she said after a while. "They just won't admit it."

The silence followed them, heavy and close. No one spoke. They didn't need to. They could feel it—the presence of something unseen, lingering just beyond the edges of what they could see. It didn't need to show itself. They already knew it was there.