Scouted

From the cover of the jungle's dense canopy, Cassey watched silently, her keen eyes fixated on the scene below. As The leader of the renowned Soul Warrior Guild, she was no stranger to the extraordinary, but what she saw unfolding before her left her breathless.

The Umbra Serpent, a monster she had faced and narrowly escaped in her youth, lay lifeless on the ground, its massive form sprawled in final defeat. And at the heart of the scene stood a young man—a boy, really—radiating power unlike anything she'd ever encountered. The silvery-gray light that enveloped him shimmered with an intensity that made the air itself hum, sending waves of energy rippling through the jungle.

Her dark auburn hair was tied in a loose braid, and her leather armor bore the scars of countless battles. A curved blade rested at her hip, though her hand lingered cautiously on its hilt as she observed the strange scene. The boy—Speed, she remembered hearing the guards mock his name—had decapitated the serpent with nothing more than his bare hand, wielding magic that was both overwhelming and incomprehensible. Spirit magic, she thought, her sharp mind immediately recognizing the whispers of the ancient element. No one alive today wielded such power.

The guards stood frozen in fear, their earlier bravado replaced by palpable unease. Even from a distance, Cassey could see the ripple of something profound pass through them, a shift in how they viewed the boy they had mocked. But what held her attention was not their reaction—it was the boy himself. There was something raw and untamed about his magic, a wildness that spoke of both danger and untapped potential.

Cassey's lips pressed into a thin line as her gloved hand tightened on the branch she leaned against. She was no fool; the boy didn't yet understand the magnitude of what he carried. But if someone like her could guide him, harness that power and direct it... the possibilities were limitless. With him in her guild, Soul Warriors would rise to heights no one could contest. Together, they could tip the scales of power across the kingdom.

She drew a slow, measured breath, willing her racing thoughts to still. Now wasn't the time to approach him—his awakening was too fresh, his emotions too chaotic. Instead, she would keep watch, tracking his journey from the shadows. When the moment was right, she would reveal herself, and she would ensure that Speed saw the Soul warrior Guild not as an option, but as his destiny.

Cassey's gaze lingered on the boy for a moment longer before she melted back into the shadows of the jungle, her movements silent and deliberate. The wheels of her plans were already in motion, and the future now held a spark of something truly extraordinary.

---

 The decapitated body of the Umbra Serpent, a creature feared even by the most hardened hunters, lay motionless at his feet, its enormous frame sprawled in final defeat. The glow of the gray light dissipated slowly, but the energy in the air remained, crackling with the remnants of a force that was rare and terrifying.

Cassey's dark attire, perfectly suited for the shadowed jungle, blended her seamlessly into her surroundings. A curved dagger rested at her side, but her hand hovered over it with caution. Her sharp features, framed by her dark auburn hair, betrayed a flicker of shock—a rare crack in the calm, calculating demeanor she always carried. She had spent her life in service to the Shadow Warrior Guild, tracking and recruiting individuals with extraordinary talents, but this… this was unprecedented.

Spirit magic. The element that legend claimed to be the first and most powerful, capable of transcending all others. It was a force that hadn't been seen in centuries, and now it burned brightly within this unassuming boy—a boy she had overheard the guards mocking just days prior.

As the guards stumbled back, their faces pale with disbelief, Cassey remained still, her trained eyes absorbing every detail. The way the boy's trembling hand instinctively reached for the black book clutched to his chest. The faint glow of the jagged spiral birthmark on his wrist. The raw, untamed emotion in his expression—a mixture of fear, determination, and something deeper, something she couldn't quite name.

This boy was unlike any other. His power was wild, unrefined, but immense. In the wrong hands, he could become a threat beyond reckoning. In the right hands… Cassey allowed herself a small, rare smile. In the **Shadow Warrior Guild's hands**, he could become unstoppable.

She knew what needed to be done. For now, she would remain in the shadows, observing and waiting. The boy had only just awakened to his potential, and approaching him too soon might disrupt the fragile balance of his emotions and newfound power. But she would ensure that their paths crossed again. And when the time was right, she would make him an offer he couldn't refuse.

With one final glance at the boy, now kneeling in the clearing as the guards stood trembling around him, Cassey melted back into the shadows. Her movements were silent, her presence leaving no trace. The jungle seemed to sigh as she disappeared, the storm of her thoughts already formulating a plan. The Shadow Warrior Guild didn't just recruit talent—they cultivated legends. And Speed, whether he knew it or not, was destined to become one.