The following days passed more slowly than I expected.
After the letter was sent to the Arcane City, there wasn't much more we could do except wait. Aurelius Valemorth's response could arrive quickly or take weeks. No one at the guild seemed to know exactly how long it would take.
Standing still was not an option.
That's why we decided to keep accepting missions.
That morning, we were again at the Vailor Adventurers' Guild. The hall was crowded, as always. Mixed conversations, hurried footsteps, and the sound of cups being placed on tables created a bustling atmosphere.
I walked to the mission board while the girls followed me.
Rai'kanna was the first to speak.
"Let's see if anything interesting shows up."
Lyannis crossed her arms as she examined the papers pinned to the board.
"Mostly simple tasks."
Elara watched silently, reading each mission carefully.
Liriel seemed more interested in tasks involving investigation or magic.
Vespera kept her eyes alert to the surroundings, as always.
I scanned the available missions.
Herb collection.
Caravan protection.
Hunting smaller monsters.
Nothing seemed very challenging.
Until a slightly larger scroll caught my attention.
I tore the paper from the board and began reading.
Lyannis tilted her head.
"What did you find?"
I showed her the scroll.
"An extermination mission."
Rai'kanna gave a small smile.
"That sounds better."
Elara took the paper and read it as well.
"A group of creatures in the northern mountains."
Liriel asked,
"What kind of creatures?"
"Rock beasts."
Lyannis whistled softly.
"These are tough."
Vespera spoke calmly.
"But they're not intelligent."
I nodded.
The mission seemed straightforward. A group of these creatures was attacking travelers using one of the trade routes near Vailor.
Nothing extraordinary.
But still a good exercise.
We handed the scroll to the counter and registered the mission.
Shortly after, we were already leaving the city.
The journey to the mountains took a few hours.
During the trip, the weather was calm. The sky was clear, and the light wind made the vegetation sway gently along the road.
Lyannis walked a little ahead, observing the horizon.
Rai'kanna spun her short sword in her hands as she walked.
Liriel was talking to Elara about some magical theories.
Vespera followed with quiet steps, always attentive.
I walked just behind, holding the hilt of my sword.
My mind still occasionally drifted back to the Arcane City.
But there was something else I needed to do while we waited.
Train.
A few hours later, we arrived at the area indicated in the mission.
The northern mountains were different from the forests near Vailor. Large rocks and uneven terrain dominated the landscape. Small natural trails wound between the stone formations.
Vespera was the first to notice something.
She raised her hand slightly.
We stopped immediately.
"Footprints."
Rai'kanna approached.
"Seems recent."
Elara observed the ground carefully.
"By the size… probably three or four creatures."
Lyannis smiled slightly.
"Perfect."
We followed the tracks to a small area surrounded by large rocks.
And then we found them.
Four rock beasts were scattered across the area.
Their bodies seemed made of raw stone mixed with dark flesh. The creatures were nearly two meters tall, with heavy limbs that resembled stone pillars.
One of them raised its head when it noticed our presence.
Soon the others did the same.
Rai'kanna cracked her neck.
"Finally."
Vespera had already prepared an arrow.
Liriel began gathering mana in her hands.
Elara calmly observed the creatures' positions.
Lyannis smiled as the mana sphere appeared again above her palm.
I held the hilt of my sword.
"Let's finish this quickly."
The first beast advanced with heavy steps.
Before it got close, an arrow from Vespera pierced the creature's eye. The impact made the beast's head tilt violently.
Rai'kanna was already in motion.
She passed the creature with a swift movement, and her blade cut one of the rocky legs. The beast fell heavily to the ground.
Lyannis launched her mana sphere.
The explosion hit another creature directly in the chest, scattering pieces of stone across the ground.
Liriel released a concentrated gust of wind that pushed the third beast against a rock.
Elara finished the attack with a precise strike.
I observed everything for a moment before advancing against the last creature.
The beast growled and raised its heavy arm to strike.
I dodged the blow easily.
My sword cut the creature's arm.
The impact was strong, but the blade passed through the rocky structure without difficulty.
The beast tried to turn again.
I finished the combat with a second strike directly to the torso.
The heavy body fell to the ground with a thud.
Silence returned quickly.
Lyannis looked around.
"That was fast."
Rai'kanna cleaned her blade.
"These things aren't very smart."
Vespera retrieved the remaining arrow.
Liriel observed the creatures' bodies.
"At least we completed the mission."
Elara nodded.
"The trade route will be safe again."
I slowly sheathed my sword.
The fight had been simple.
But it served an important purpose.
Keeping the group active.
Keeping our skills sharp.
I glanced at the sky for a moment.
The letter was already on its way to the Arcane City.
Now all that remained was to wait for the response.
We returned to Vailor in the late afternoon.
When we passed through the city gates, I felt that slight sense of anticipation again.
The response hadn't arrived yet.
But somewhere far away, in the Arcane City…
Aurelius Valemorth was probably already reading our letter.