[Scene: Chaos at the Docks – Port Brevia, Sunny Afternoon]
The sun bathed Port Brevia in golden light. Waves lapped lazily against the docked ships.
Inside one of them—Ashen sat in a small room on a plain wooden chair, the walls gently creaking with the motion of the sea.
He leaned back, eyes on the ceiling.
> Internal – Ashen:
"So you guys read the last chapter, right? Whisper's Light is headed to the Adventurer's License Exam. It got preponed to next month."
He sighed.
> "Convincing my parents to let me go? That… that was a nightmare."
A warm smile crossed his face as a mental image flickered through his mind:
Katrina and Master Madhav in his living room, hands clasped like professional negotiators—his mother clinging to a prayer book.
> Internal – Ashen:
"Katrina threatened to camp outside our house until they agreed."
He looked out the door.
> "Three weeks till the exam. We're setting sail now… what could possibly go wrong?"
BOOOOM.
The ship lurched like a cannonball had been fired from its belly.
Ashen nearly fell off his chair.
> "What the—?!"
—
[Moments Earlier – Main Deck]
Master Madhav stood near the helm, hands on his hips, surveying the sea.
> "Before we set sail," he announced proudly.
"Food rations—check." He pointed toward the cargo bay.
> "Compass—check." He tapped his pocket.
> "Everyone's application forms—"
Silence.
Madhav blinked.
Patted his coat.
Checked another pocket.
Then another.
> "Haha, looks like I forgot all your forms back at the guild hall."
The silence broke like glass.
> Katrina (sighing):
"Typical."
> Kael: "I have an idea!"
> Solis: "My idea is not listening to your idea."
> Kael: "It's a good one!"
> Rhask & Arjun (simultaneously): "What is it?"
Kael grinned.
> "We make it a race. First one to grab their own application form from the guild hall and make it back wins."
> "Last one back… skips dinner."
> Eron (deadpan): "I'm not fast like you guys. I will literally die."
Madhav rubbed his hands together, grin wicked.
> "Sounds like a brilliant waste of energy. I approve."
He stepped back.
> "On my count—"
> "Three…"
> "Two…"
> "One…"
> "GO!"
Everyone had second thoughts about this plan, except for Kael. But.
THUD. THUD. THUD. THUD. THUD. THUD.
Six adventurers launched themselves off the ship in perfect synchronization.
The ship shook like a quake had hit.
Back in his chair, Ashen bounced an inch into the air.
> "What the actual hell was that?!"
He peeked through the door.
The deck was empty.
> Internal – Ashen:
"We got attacked!?"
Madhav's gaze went towards Ashen.
> "Ashen! Don't worry— they are just playing around."
> "Completely normal."
Ashen slumped back in his chair.
> Internal – Ashen:
"These people are unhinged."
He smiled to himself.
> "...And I think I'm finally getting used to it."
Kael landed first on the dock.
Not like a person.
Like a dart.
The moment his boots touched tile, he was gone.
> Internal – Kael:
"I'll grab mine. And be back before anyone else blinks."
Behind him, Katrina twisted in midair, hair trailing like a black whip.
Her feet met the pavement like she'd trained for this exact type of superhero landing.
> CRACK.
The tiles under her splintered.
She shot forward, eyes locked on the rooftops ahead.
> Internal – Katrina:
"Using the rooftops sounds smart."
Third to land—Solis.
He hit the ground like he belonged to it. Clean. Composed.
And then—he blurred.
> Internal – Solis:
"Let them rush. I know the alley shortcuts already."
A gust of wind carried his coat as he vanished into the streets.
Arjun was next.
Thump.
Rhask and Eron hit the dock nearly at the same time.
Eron stumbled.
Rhask didn't.
Eron tried to steady himself.
> Eron (muttering):
"I'm a healer, not a parkour demon…"
> Rhask (grinning):
"Race or not, I'm not coming in last."
Eron's eyes narrowed.
> "Neither am I."