The heavy doors of the Velmoria Adventurers' Guild creaked open as Jace and Nick walked in, stained by dirt and dusk from their latest quest. The air was lively , the bards playing soft tunes in the corner, laughter rising from groups of adventurers trading stories over drinks and dice.
Behind the front desk, Claire looked up, her sharp eyes instantly locking onto them.
"So," she said with a raised brow, "Have you completed the mission?"
Without a word, Jace stepped forward, his expression unreadable. With a swift motion, he unhooked a worn leather satchel and slammed it on the polished oak counter. The bag opened and rolled out with a thud came the severed head of a vampire.
Gasps filled the hall. Cards dropped. Tankards paused mid-air.
Claire blinked, stunned for a heartbeat, then gave a small, proud smirk. "Well... killing a vampire? That's quite an accomplishment."
The entire guild fell into hushed whispers.
Jace stepped back and raised his voice, his presence commanding attention. "Listen up, everyone! We are Black Luminaries and we're going to grind through the ranks, one mission at a time."
From a nearby table, Nick leaned in, whispering urgently, "Why are you announcing this like some kind of royal proclamation?"
Jace smirked. "Raising our reputation. It starts now."
A scoff broke through the tension. A grizzled man with a jagged scar on his cheek barked a laugh. "Look at those kids… acting all high and mighty!"
But before the laughter could spread, another man beside him elbowed him lightly. "Hey, you don't wanna mess with them. They're the survivors of the Mudspire attack. And now, they've taken down a vampire. That's not luck. That's power."
The scarred man looked back at Jace, then muttered under his breath, "You might be right." He stood and called out, "Alright, I take back what I said!"
Jace smiled and raised a mug he'd snatched from a passing server. "Then drink with us! Tonight, the booze is on me!"
The room erupted in cheers. Glasses clinked. Chairs scraped. The tavern floor shook with the chant:
"Long live the Black Luminaries!"
Nick leaned back, sipping his ale as laughter swirled around them. Jace gave him a satisfied nod. Nick nodded back, this was just the beginning.
Claire watched from behind the counter, arms folded, an amused glint in her eyes. "Oh my," she whispered to herself. "Look how much you've grown… in such little time."
Meanwhile… at the Royal Palace of Velmoria
The sun spilled gold across the sprawling marble courtyard where the summoned heroes trained. Blades clashed, spells shimmered, and the weight of responsibility hung in the air like a second sky.
During a break in the sparring, Finn Sterling, calm and collected as always, adjusted his gloves and said, "Have you heard of a party called Black Luminaries?"
Across the courtyard, Rihanna Kensington tilted her head, catching her breath. "No, I haven't. And why are you bringing this up during sparring?"
A few paces away, Zane Callister snapped, "Focus, Rihanna. You're on my team. I don't want to lose because you're distracted." He clashed blades with Ivy Monroe, who giggled mid-parry.
Finn smirked, unbothered. "It's just... the name Jace came up."
At that, Rihanna froze.
"What about him?" she asked, voice barely hiding the tremor.
"Apparently," Finn said, brushing back a strand of his hair, "he's an adventurer now."
"What? Really?" Rihanna's eyes widened.
Ivy took the opportunity to launch an earth spell—stones surgedup and caught Rihanna off-guard, knocking her balance.
"I got you!" Ivy shouted triumphantly.
Finn chuckled. "Well done."
Ivy shook her head. "Nah, it was all you. I just finished the job."
Zane groaned, lowering his weapon. "I told you to focus, Rihanna!"
Rihanna, cheeks flushed, barely heard them. She turned to Finn, stepping closer. "Tell me the truth. Jace... he's really out there?"
Finn nodded. "That's what the adventurers who passed through the palace said. Took down a vampire, too."
Rihanna's hands trembled slightly. She pressed them to her chest, a smile tugging at her lips. "I'm so eager to see him again."
"Ooh," Ivy teased with a wink, "someone's excited."
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Rihanna snapped, blushing deeper.
The teasing was cut short as General Lennox, tall and stern, walked into the courtyard holding a stack of papers.
"Training's done for the day," she said gruffly. "Pack up. You'll be deployed soon."
She looked each of them in the eye.
"Your next mission is classified. Destination: Shadow Lands. Reports say one of the Yakshas has been spotted."
Zane grinned, eyes glinting with battle-hunger. "Finally... something interesting."
Rihanna's heart skipped a beat.
Jace... we'll meet again soon. I know it.
To be continued…