A Chance to Reforge

It was a quiet morning, the sky painted a soft shade of amber as the sun peeked over the horizon. Three months had passed since the construction of the Adventurers' Guild Hall, and the town of Willowstead had found its rhythm once again. Caelus wasn't necessarily an early riser, but today was a rare exception. His morning began with helping out around town—sweeping roads, lifting crates, assisting with repairs and more. His strength made the work look effortless, and the townsfolk were accustomed to his presence, always grateful for the subtle way he contributed to the community.

Once his morning work was done, Caelus made his way to Patisserie Ashfield for his usual breakfast. As he approached, the warm, sweet scent of pastries wrapped around him, blending with the soft hum of early morning chatter. The gentle glow of the oven flickered behind the counter, where Elise was already waiting with a smile, setting a bag of fresh pastries before him.

"Busy morning?" Caelus asked, picking out a croissant

"You know it!" Elise replied, wiping her hands on her apron, "But not as busy as you, I bet."

"Just the usual." he took a bite, his face melting with pleasure as he savoured the buttery goodness. "At least the town's staying active."

Elise leaned against the counter, eyeing him curiously. "So, what's next for you today?"

"Off to the guild hall," Caelus shrugged, "Mira signed up to be an adventurer. I was gonna help her pick out a job."

"Good luck!" Elise smiled, "Y'know, you should probably follow her example and join the guild!"

"I'll probably sign up at some point..." Caelus uttered

"As long as you take my advice..."

Caelus duly finished his meal in comfortable silence before heading out.

At the guild hall, the usual hum of activity greeted him—adventurers coming and going, discussing contracts and missions, a whirlwind of chatter in the open space. Mira stood at the quest board, scanning it, her expression a mix of determination and frustration.

"Still can't find anything, huh?" Caelus asked her, leaning on a nearby wall

Mira sighed, running a hand through her red hair. "There's a lot of quests for low-level adventurers, but that's no good! I need something that'll actually test me, y'know?"

"You're still thinking too big. You've gotta start somewhere." Caelus chuckled

"Excuse you! I shouldn't have to remind you that I'm one of this country's only S-Rank Adventurers!" she said smugly

Before their conversation could carry on, a voice cut through the noise of the hall.

"I've heard something real interesting," a man said nearby, speaking low but still loud enough that Caelus and Mira could catch the words, "I've heard about the location of one of the Celestial Blades."

Caelus' attention quickly focused onto the adventurer, striding over without a second thought, with Mira following close behind. The man was in his mid-twenties, rough-looking, with the telltale signs of a seasoned adventurer—dirt under his nails, a scar over his brow, and a nervous look in his eyes as he noticed Caelus' approach.

"Did I hear that right?" Caelus asked, his voice firm, cutting through the chatter. "You said something about a Celestial Blade?"

The man flinched, looking between Caelus and Mira. His friends, who had been gathered around him, immediately shrank back, sensing the tension in the air.

"Yeah... I've got some intel. A Celestial Blade... in Ardent," the adventurer added, his voice shaky, "I... I don't know exactly where, but I've heard rumours. Not something to ignore."

Mira's shoulders stiffened at the mention of Ardent, her fingers curling as if resisting an urge to react. "You're sure it's Ardent?" she asked, her tone biting

The man hesitated. "The capital of Ardentia, yes..."

Caelus picked up on Mira's reactions but decided not to press further. "Is there any more you'd like to tell us?" he asked sternly

The adventurer swallowed nervously, unable to ignore Caelus' intensity. "That's all I've got, I swear! Ardent's the place! Though... if you wanna go, you might wanna be careful, word on the street is that things are tense over there right now."

Caelus nodded, dismissing him with a firm hand. The adventurer quickly backed away into his friends, relieved to be done with the ruthless questioning.

"Get your bags ready," Caelus said to Mira, his voice steady, "We're heading out to Ardent."

A few hours later, Caelus was at home, now in some simple combat and adventuring gear, consisting of a short-sleeved black shirt, a leather chest protector, brown leather leggings, dark brown boots and fingerless leather gauntlets, all accompanied by a few pouches at his hips. His bag packed mostly with travel necessities and food, with those being covered by his folded cloak. Not too long after he had finished packing, Elise burst into his home, having caught wind of him and Mira's plan.

"You're going to Ardentia?!" she asked, a touch of worry in her voice. "Haven't you heard all the news coming out from there? It's getting more and more dangerous, especially in the capital!"

"Don't worry about us, Elise." he said reassuringly, a warm smile accompanying his words

As he walked to the door, he gave her a quick pat on her head then made his way to meet Mira at the eastern gate.

The sky was painted with hues of orange and red as the sun set. Caelus calmly strolled through the town, taking in the beauty and sights before he departed from it once more. Upon approving the gate, he saw Mira, stood in light adventurer's armour, with the cuisses swapped out for shorts and the more bulkier pieces replaced with a tailored short-sleeved tailcoat, her scarlet hair flowing with the breeze and a shadow over her face.

"Wait!!" a voice cried out

The voice's owner, running to catch up with the approaching Caelus, was Elise, slightly hunched over and heaving, now clothed in a black sleeveless bodysuit and fingerless leather gauntlets, further covered with a chestplate, leather shoulder pads and greaves.

"Let me come with you guys!" she pleaded

"You said it yourself, it's gonna be dangerous." Caelus sternly replied

"If she wants to come with, let her." Mira spoke, "We're just gonna look for an old friend."

"Alright then," Caelus smirked, turning to the horizon, "let's get going!"

With one last glance at Willowstead, the three stepped beyond the gates, their journey to Ardent—and their reunion with an old friend—finally beginning.