Crimson in Bloom

It had been three months since I became an adventurer.

Three months since the crown named me hero, handed me a sword that felt too alive, and tossed me into a war I didn't ask for.

Now, we were S-rank. The highest designation the Guild could offer. Some called it fame, others called it madness. To me? It was survival, polished and repackaged.

The Crimson Vow had become a name known throughout Eldoria. Inns quieted when we entered. Townsfolk stared with a mix of reverence and fear. Children followed us through markets, wide-eyed and whispering our nicknames like spells.

Leon (The Crimson Blade). Sylva (The Silent Fang). Iris (The White Flame). Lyra (The Whispering Raven). Velis (The Silver Smile). Darius (The Steel Banner). Gaius (The Iron Avalanche). Selene (The Warding Star).

And all I could do was wonder how long it would last.

Sylva had changed. Subtly. Her posture wasn't so stiff anymore. She still scanned every room like a hawk—but she didn't flinch when someone tapped her shoulder. She'd started talking to the others, even if it was just a word or two. Her voice, once flat and emotionless, now held texture. A ghost of a smile, rare and fragile, had begun to haunt her face when she looked at the others.

Especially Velis.

That was the biggest surprise. Velis, once a shadow that moved only beside Lyra, now sat around the campfire like she'd always belonged. She joked. She teased. She slaughtered enemies with gleeful precision—and then sat beside Iris to braid her hair like a child playing house.

People still stared when they saw her—after all, she was still just a child. But anyone who had seen her fight knew the truth: Velis was a monster. One of us. Maybe more than us.

Even I had trouble tracking her when she got serious.

She'd become an indispensable member of the party, especially on high-risk quests—scouting labyrinths, manipulating battlefield layouts, dismantling magical traps. Her childlike exterior was a veil for something ancient and brutal.

But when Sylva sat next to her, they shared a silence that made the world feel less sharp. Velis didn't hover over Lyra as much anymore. She split her time—half with her sister, and half with Sylva. And Sylva didn't seem to mind.

They'd both survived lives defined by the blade. Maybe that's what made it work.

As I sat at the edge of the training field, watching Gaius and Darius spar while Iris healed bruises and Selene calculated spell trajectories, I couldn't help but feel… lucky.

Somehow, despite the blood and battles and lies, we were still standing. Still breathing.

And for the first time in this world…

It felt like I had a place.

*

*

*

I hadn't spent much time alone with Velis. Not really.

Sure, she was always around—glued to Lyra's side, occasionally shadowing Sylva like a second shadow. But being alone with her? That was new.

We were walking toward the guild together. A short stroll through the quieter parts of Eldoria. The morning air was crisp, and Velis, for once, wasn't humming or twirling or talking to herself. She was just… walking.

"So…" I tried, glancing at her. "Sleep well?"

She blinked up at me with those eerie silver eyes, as if confused I was talking to her.

Then she gave a tiny nod. "Mhm. You snore."

I choked a little. "Do not."

"Do too," she grinned. "It's like a tiny dragon wheezing in its cave."

I sighed, rubbing the back of my head. "Thanks for that image."

We were both smiling—awkwardly, but it counted.

Then we heard it. Footsteps pounding against stone. Heavy breathing.

A figure rounded the corner—dishevelled, cloak half-torn, eyes wide with panic. Behind him, four men with drawn weapons.

He saw us and skidded to a stop. "Hey, uh, I hate to interrupt your walk-and-talk, but—HELP!"

The thugs didn't even try to hide their intent.

I stepped forward, drawing my katana. "Stay behind me."

Velis sat down on the nearby fountain, legs swinging. "I'll watch."

The fight was short. I was S-rank for a reason.

Steel clashed, fists flew, and when it ended, the four thugs were groaning on the ground and I was wiping blood from my blade. The man we'd helped whistled low.

"Not bad, Red. Gotta say, I was half expecting to get stabbed again."

He straightened up, brushing off his coat.

"Name's Kieran. Professional survivor, amateur wanderer, full-time talker." He flashed a grin. "Thanks for the assist."

I eyed him. "Why were they chasing you?"

Kieran scratched the back of his head. "Ah, well… let's say I may have liberated a purse that wasn't as unattended as I thought. You know how it is."

Velis tilted her head. "You stole from a noble."

He blinked. "Did I? Huh. That'd explain the private guards."

Despite everything, he looked amused more than anything.

"I appreciate the save," he said with a casual wave. "But I've got places to be, chaos to cause. We'll meet again—I'm sure of it."

And with that, he disappeared around the corner, whistling a cheerful tune.

Velis hopped off the fountain, hands behind her back. "He was weird."

"Yeah," I muttered. "But kind of entertaining."

We resumed our walk, and I found myself thinking about Kieran's grin, his words.

Not all enemies wear armor. Not all allies wear banners.

But that was a question for another time.

The guild awaited.

* * * * *

The Guildhall of Eldoria was rarely quiet, but this time, it was solemn.

The Crimson Vow stood before the Guildmaster—a broad-shouldered woman named Talia with steel-gray hair and a voice like rolling thunder. Her gaze scanned the party before settling on Leon.

"You've made quite the name for yourselves," she said. "That's why I'm trusting you with this."

She tapped the parchment on her desk. "A political escort. Cross-regional. Dangerous territory. Your client is being hunted."

Darius stepped forward, arms folded. "Who?"

The doors opened behind them. In stepped Kieran, the same talkative wanderer Leon and Velis had encountered days ago. Cloak cleaner. Smile just as smug.

"Miss me?" he grinned.

"You're the client?" Leon asked, stunned.

"Yeah," Kieran replied, waving. "Turns out I've made lots of friends—and even more enemies. Some people don't like when you borrow things like maps, relics, or accidentally eavesdrop on conspiracies."

Iris groaned. "Why am I not surprised?"

Talia cleared her throat. "He must be delivered safely to the border of Solmaria. You'll pass through disputed land near Dravengard and Cindralis—both tense zones."

Lyra's eyes narrowed. "What's he carrying?"

Kieran raised both hands. "Nothing dangerous. Just… knowledge. Dangerous knowledge, maybe."

Selene sighed. "This'll be hell."

Velis tilted her head, expression unreadable. "I like him."

Kieran winked. "Told you I'm likable."

The mission was set. Escort Kieran through contested zones, avoiding agents from multiple kingdoms and unknown enemies who would rather silence him than see him reach Solmaria.

As the group left the Guildhall, the Crimson Vow crowded around Leon.

"How do you even know this guy?" Iris asked, glancing between him and Kieran.

Leon shrugged. "We ran into him a few minutes ago. He was being chased by a few thugs. I stepped in. He cracked jokes the whole time, then vanished."

"He sounds like a headache," Selene muttered.

Kieran leaned over slightly, eyes curious. "So, Silver Smile, what's your story? I've heard rumours. People say you're terrifying. Even the Guild has records that you're strong enough to fight alone. That true?"

Velis didn't stop walking. Her voice was light, playful. "You shouldn't pry into people's personal lives, Kieran."

She smiled. It wasn't sweet.

Kieran blinked, hiding the way his shoulders stiffened. "Point taken."

Just then, Lyra appeared beside Velis and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come. We need to talk about routes."

Velis gave Kieran a passing glance. "Bye~"

As she left with Lyra, Kieran forced a chuckle, scratching the back of his neck. "Right. Definitely not terrifying."

He glanced at Leon. "She always like that?"

Leon exhaled. "That was her being polite."

Kieran whistled low. "I think I'll ask you about her later. Maybe over a drink. Preferably somewhere with holy water and wards."

Leon didn't laugh. Not quite. But he didn't say no either.

*

*

*

The path to Solmaria led through dead land. Once green, now marred by centuries of border skirmishes and forgotten magic. Even the wind seemed to whisper old warnings.

The Crimson Vow travelled tight—Kieran in the centre, Darius and Gaius up front, Leon beside Velis and Sylva.

"I don't like this," Selene murmured from the rear, her staff glowing faintly. "Too quiet."

"Could just be a break in the storm," Iris offered.

"Or the eye of one," Lyra countered.

It hit them a moment later.

Arrows flew. Dozens. Gaius raised his shield with a roar, Darius pulled his blade, and Selene erected a barrier just in time.

"Positions!" Darius shouted.

Dozens of armoured warriors surged from the trees—mercenaries of Dravengard, bearing blood-red insignias and jagged swords.

"They're not here for diplomacy!" Kieran yelled as he ducked behind Leon.

Leon charged into the fray, parrying the first strike and driving his blade into a mercenary's chest.

Velis and Sylva moved together like twin phantoms.

Sylva disappeared into the trees. The moment a mercenary raised his axe toward Iris, a dagger slit his throat. Another tried to warn his comrades, but Sylva's blade found his heart before he could scream.

Velis's eyes glowed silver. "They're loud."

She stepped into the clearing, arms out. Shadows burst from the ground like tendrils, piercing three soldiers through their armour.

One mercenary charged her. She smiled. A heartbeat later, he fell—his legs gone, his mind unravelling from illusion.

"She's toying with them," Selene murmured.

"No," Lyra said grimly. "She's punishing them."

Sylva appeared beside Velis, blood staining her gloves. "Six left."

Velis grinned. "Want to race?"

"Loser cleans Kieran's gear."

Kieran, crouching, gasped. "Hey!"

They vanished again.

In mere minutes, the battle was over. Bodies littered the field. Not one Crimson Vow member had fallen.

Velis and Sylva reappeared from the smoke. Sylva straightened her cloak, Velis twirling a bloodstained knife between her fingers.

Leon wiped his blade. "You two work too well together."

Velis beamed. "That's because we like each other now."

Sylva said nothing, but her eyes softened.

Kieran stepped over a corpse carefully. "Remind me never to tick either of you off."

Darius looked toward the horizon. "That was a warning. Someone knows we're coming."

Leon nodded grimly. "Then let's make sure they regret it."