The quiet night descended upon Kurua Village. Oil lamps flickered softly in each home, swaying with the warm, dry breeze of the valley. Inside their humble house, Zeo sat across from Kaira. His face still weary from the incident at tface stillat morning, but now, something else troubled him.
"There's something I need to tell you," Zeo said quietly.
Kaira, folding medical cloths on her lap, turned to him.
Zeo cloths deep breath and told her everything—about being pulled beneath the well, the second encounter with the glowing being claiming to be an agent of a divine force. About the explanation of their world, Blue Star, the awakening of magic within him, and... the mission that had just been given.
"The being wants me to... form an adventurer party," Zeo said, almost in a whisper.
Kaira paused. Her eyes blinked, processing the unfamiliar information.
Zeo looked down, unable to meet her gaze. "I know it sounds crazy. I know you might be scared. But I feel like... I have to do this."
Silence fell for a moment. Then Kaira lifted her head, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Then... can I come with you?"
Zeo frowned, surprised. "You... want to?"
Kaira looked down, her fingers toying with the edge of the cloth. "Since I was a child, I always wanted to be an adventurer. But... you know my father was a healer, and this village needed one. So I chose that path..." She smiled faintly. "I... I actually know a bit of magic."
Zeo stared at her. "You can use magic?"
Kaira nodded slowly, then raised her palm. The air around her shimmered softly, forming a gentle breeze swirling around her fingers. Delicate, but clear. The tiny wind danced, then vanished.
"Wow. Wind magic..." Zeo whispered in awe. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Because you never asked," Kaira replied, a bit shy but also teasing.
Zeo let out a long sigh—half-relieved, half-embarrassed. He was surprised to realize how little he actually knew about his own wife. But in his heart, he also felt... happy.
"Kaira," Zeo said seriously, "Are you sure you want to come? This could be dangerous."
Kaira met his gaze. "We promised to live this life together, Zeo. If this is your destiny... then let me walk it with you."
Zeo didn't respond immediately. He stood up, walked toward the door, and gently pulled back the curtain to look at the night sky. Stars scattered across the desert above, calm and silent, as if indifferent to the turmoil felt by those beneath.
Kaira approached quietly, standing beside him. "Are you afraid?"
Zeo nodded. "Not because of the mission... but because you're coming with me."
Kaira looked at him and smiled softly. "Isn't it scarier if I didn't?"
They chuckled lightly, but the smile only masked their deep uncertainty. Zeo knew this step would change everything. But even if the world changed, he wanted Kaira by his side.
---
The next morning, before the sun had fully risen, they were ready. Zeo carried a wooden staff left by his grandfather, and Kaira brought a small bag of herbs and medicines. They knew who they'd ask first.
They headed to the home of a man named Grent—a broad-shouldered youth with a buzz cut and the build of a bull, but with a gentle heart. He was once a well-known adventurer in the west, but no one knew why he retired three years ago to raise livestock in peace.
His house sat at the edge of the village, surrounded by thick wooden stakes forming a sturdy fence.
Grent welcomed them with open arms and a booming laugh.
"Zeo! Kaira! Long time no see!"
Zeo smiled. "Can we talk, Grent? It's something... important."
Once seated with tea served, Zeo shared his plan to form a party.
Grent raised an eyebrow. "Adventurers, huh?"
"I know you've retired, but I need someone with... experience," Zeo said. "And you're one of the few people I truly trust."
Grent looked at them, then downed his tea in one gulp. Suddenly, he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! If you two are crazy enough to try this... how could I just watch? Count me in! But don't expect me to babysit if you run when a beast comes. I'm a tank, not a caretaker."
He pounded his broad chest twice with an open palm, then walked to an old rack near the fireplace. From it, he pulled a massive metal shield, dusty and scarred.
"Haven't touched this in years... But I guess it's time to bring it back to life," he said with a grin. "It's hard to retire from being an adventurer."
Zeo looked at Grent with gratitude. Grent had been one of the few adults who supported him during his childhood. After his parents and grandfather passed, Grent often delivered meat or helped repair the sheep pens. He rarely spoke much, but his presence was always comforting.
"Why did you stop before, Grent?" Kaira asked gently.
Grent didn't answer right away. He sat back down, his eyes on the shield in his lap.
"Because... I failed to save a comrade," he said quietly. "We were overconfident. And he died... because I was too slow. After that, I thought I was better off staying out of it."
Silence filled the small room.
Zeo looked at him. "This time, you won't be alone."
Grent lifted his face and nodded. "Then let's build the strongest party in the world, hahaha."
---
The early days of forming the party were filled with enthusiasm. They trained together outside the village—practicing formations, simulating battles against small beasts, even clearing a pack of giant forest rats disturbing farmlands.
Zeo started getting used to channeling his magic into shockwaves and elemental bursts. He still didn't fully understand energy manipulation, and his powers often burst out spontaneously, but Grent's solid defense helped balance their formation. Kaira, with her wind magic and healing instincts, supported them with precision.
The first three days were spent syncing their rhythm. Grent taught Zeo and Kaira about position rotation, reading wind direction, tracking beast signs in the desert, and using silent hand signals for combat communication.
Zeo progressed quickly. Though not yet skilled in controlling Entra, the force from his punches could knock back small beasts like Sand Lizards or desert insects. Kaira, with her wind magic and calm focus, could slow or immobilize enemies effectively.
One afternoon, they rescued a group of children who had nearly gotten lost in the northern valley. Zeo learned to use a sort of "radar" with his Entra to detect life forms nearby. Word of it spread through the village, and many praised them.
But within a week, the praise turned into murmurs of fear. Several livestock were found dead. Three nights in a row, strange howls came from the west.
Some began blaming them.
"Ever since they started training, this all began..."
"There never used to be creatures howling this loud at night!"
"They're disturbing the beasts. That's why they're approaching."
Zeo heard it all. But for now, he stayed silent.
Things didn't go as smoothly as hoped.
"More beasts are showing up," some said. "Did you see those footprints yesterday? They're not from regular forest creatures."
"They're bad luck. Maybe they should stop."
The whispers grew louder. Farmers lost more animals, and guards spotted large shadows near the plains at night. Some villagers believed their training had disrupted the balance of nature.
What they didn't know was that Zeo's internal energy had begun to resonate outward. An ancient aura unintentionally attracted magical creatures from dozens of kilometers away.
That evening, after training, a village elder approached them.
"Zeo... Kaira... Grent. Could you... stop? At least until things settle down."
"We're only training," Zeo replied. "We even cleared those forest rats threatening the fields."
"But the children are scared. And you know... we haven't had beasts this close to the village in years."
Zeo fell silent. He understood the fear.
Grent spoke up. "If we don't learn to fight, then who will protect this village when real danger comes?"
The elder looked at them—not angry, but uncertain.
Kaira added gently, "We don't want to cause unrest. But we can't pretend the threats outside aren't real."
There was no reply.
And from that day on, though there was no official ban, the village's atmosphere turned cold. People greeted them with wary eyes. Children hid behind their mothers when they passed. Sometimes, stones were thrown at their home at night.
But inside that home, they still gathered—three people whose destinies they didn't yet understand... but had chosen to follow.
Zeo stared at his empty hands. "Is this right? Or am I just making things worse?"
Kaira touched his hand. "Don't lose heart, Zeo. If good people stop because the world rejects them... then no one will be left to make things better."
From the corner, Grent smiled and muttered, "All I wanted was to smash beasts... but this village really knows how to make it hard."
But none of them noticed—behind Grent's big grin and warm voice, something had shifted. His gaze lingered a little too long when Kaira smiled at Zeo. A stare too deep for mere camaraderie.
He sat sideways, watching the young couple's closeness in silence. His fingers clenched, then relaxed—suppressing something within.
"This journey will be long..." he muttered softly. "And the path can change at any time..."
That night, as Zeo and Kaira fell asleep first, Grent remained seated outside the house, staring at the dark valley sky. He unrolled an old cloth—a weathered map from his past—and scribbled something with charcoal.
In his mind, a plan slowly formed.
If fate brought him back to the world of adventuring... then perhaps this time, he'd demand something more than just honor.
And Kaira—with her gentle smile, hidden strength, and warmth that burned his chest—had already become part of that shadow.
No one knew... that among the three walking together, one had already begun to drift from the light.