FIRST ADVENTURE.

Aizzy was seated infromt of a wooden desk with piles of documents on it. Darian, her colleague, was seated behind it. He leaned back on his chair to grab an envelope from the bottom drawer. A flat crystal slid back to the edge of the drawer, vaguely reflecting his well-kept attire—a wool tunic, linen pants, and leather boots.

He carefully lifted the crytal and picked up the envelope.

Thump. He placed it infront of Aizzy.

"Open it." He said, resting his elbows on the desk as he watched her. "The details to your expedition are all in there."

Aizzy unsealed the envelope and quickly schemed through. "I can bring the new recruits along right?" Aizzy asked, as she reassembled the papers.

"Well... You can. Only if they won't be a liability." Darian stated as he picked up a pen from his table.

After Darian accepted Aizzy's request, she stood up and exited the room with the envelope in hand. She then made her way to the basement on the lowest floor of the building.

In the basement—a room structured to withstand high level attacks and vibrations as well as cancel out noise — Eldwyn and Sulivan, stood face-to-face.

After few hours and days of practice, it was time for Eldwyn to prove to Sulivan he was making progress.

"I'll be on defense while you attack." Sulivan declared. Eldwyn nodded then took a battle stance.

"Let's begin."

Whooom.

A right hook came flying in toward Sulivan, he tightened his stance, blocking it with a sharp move.

"Too weak. Harder!" Sulivan called out.

I've gotten myself into a sticky situation. All I can do is face it. I need strength to move forward. Sulivan won't always be there to protect me. I need to protect myself.... and Lyra.

He inhaled sharply, eyes hardening. He charged forward again, each punch faster and more precise — yet still Sulivan efficiently blocked them all.

"Still weak. Faster! Harder! If you can't land a hit you are as good as dead out there."

Liam clenched his teeth, his heart racing. He swung, missed, tried again. Sweat trickled down his face, arms growing heavier with each punch. His muscles screamed, his vision a blur at the edges but that didn't stop him.

One more punch.

He threw a straight punch with everything he had left. The impact made Sulivan's arms shift slightly.

Sulivan lowered his arms "Still weak," his voice calmer now "but stronger than before."

Eldwyn fell to his knees, chest rising and falling like a storm. Sulivan watched him for a moment, 'looks like he's a talented kid, to grasp the knowledge in such a short amount of time' then he offered him a hand.

"You'll get there."

The door squeaked open, and Aizzy walked in, her voi e cutting through the silence. "Looks like you boys are being productive," she said, her sharp eyes scanning Eldwyn's exhausted frame.

"Anyway. We have a task to attend to. Get ready and meet me at the exit."

"Okay. We'll meet you there in a bit," Sulivan replied, rubbing the back of his head.

Eldwyn pulled himself up, wiping the sweat off his face. "And I was all fired up too," he muttered, as he walked out of the room with wobbly legs.

Three hours later, Aizzy sat at the exit waiting for them.

"And they say ladies take too long in getting ready," she mocked, as they got closer.

"It's not me, ask him," Sulivan said, pointing at Eldwyn.

Eldwyn turned to Sulivan, "Wow."

"He slept for an hour and half, so yeah. I mean he was really tired so allow it." Sulivan requested.

"Yeah, yeah I'm not upset or anything. Haha... I was just making a point. It's not that serious." Aizzy murmured, "Let's get going."

Eldwyn's face churned in disappointment when there was no means of transportation in sight. "Hold up. Are we walking?" He asked.

"Yeah." Aizzy replied, "It's not that far."

"Can't we just use that portal thingy?"

"No, I haven't been to where we're going before—so no."

"Ugh... such a lame ability." Liam mocked.

"Heyyyy!" Aizzy cried out "Sulivan he's mocking me." Her mannerism were just cute in that moment, all Sulivan could do was stare at her.

"Enough with the bickering — get moving already," Sulivan snapped. "And Eldwyn, this is training for you too, so quit complaining."

The golden sun bathed their path in light as they journeyed toward the Kingdom of Uleriana, located within the Perudin Kigndom.

"Ehem." Aizzy cleared her throat, "and while we walk, here's a tale about Uleriana."

Uleriana, nestled on a mountainous plateau, stood with its brick homes lining the road. The streets, paved like most other kingdoms. Their main occupation was farming, second to that was baking. Their bread — so rich with earthy flavors, it felt like tasting the land itself.

The people lived in quiet harmony, with only a few minor squabbles breaking the peace. But ever since the new king, Fenira Lumar, took the throne, strange occurrences had become the new normal.

Before his reign, was King Lusaei Hajiren — a ruler beloved by nearly everyone during his twenty-two years on the throne. His sudden death, shocked the kingdom, and and to this day no one really knows how he died, only that it wasn't natural.

Despite minor flaws, his rule was considered perfect. He genuinely cherished his people and served them with all his heart — the complete opposite of King Lumar.

During a severe drought, when the Emperor refused to lend aid, King Lusaei used his own wealth to hire skilled workers to channel water from the lower lands through the mountains, creating a reservoir dam that saved the Kingdom — just one of the many good deeds which defined his time on the throne.

The people of Uleriana still carry grief in their hearts, mourning their lost king as if he had only just died. They still honor his memory by placing flowers around his statue in the middle of the kingdom.

The kingdom of Uleriana loomed in the distance, its sharp outline rising from the mountainous plateau cutting into the horizon.

"So we're going to save the people...?"

Eldwyn asked, a spark of wit in his eyes.