The village square was a total mess. Like someone had let loose a stampede of caffeinated chickens. People running everywhere. A goat bleating like it was trying to join a rock band. And the blacksmith? Oh, he was just banging away on his anvil like it owed him money. Clang, clang, clang.

In the middle of the chaos stood three heroes. Or maybe just three lost tourists. Hard to tell.

Lyra leaned against the storehouse wall, spinning a stick like it was a magic staff. Though right now she looked more "sleep-deprived potato" than "mystical mage." She let out a big sigh. "Alright team, let's catch up. How’d our week of ‘heroically saving the village’ go?”

Zane, who looked like he had spent the past few days rolling in a dirt pit, groaned. He sounded like a dragon with heartburn. “Oh, just fantastic, Lyra. I crawled around in that cave for days and you know what I found? Rocks. Not cool, magic rocks. Just boring, regular rocks that probably hate me.”

“Aww, poor Zane. Always so positive.” Lyra’s lips twitched. “At least you got rocks. My garden? Yeah, turns out dirt just hates me. It’s like I offended the entire dirt kingdom. Not one green thing grew. Just dry, miserable dirt.”

Darius stood there looking super serious. He gave off such a strong “don’t mess with me” vibe that villagers gave him a ten-foot space. “The forest fought back. But I managed to gather some wood for campfires.”

Lyra raised an eyebrow. “Wait, you dragged all that wood back by yourself? You big, stubborn ox.” There was a hint of admiration in her teasing.

Darius nodded like it was just another normal day. “The safety of the village is what matters.”

Zane threw his hands in the air. “Great. So we’ve got rocks, dead plants, and wood. I’m so glad we’re here to save the village. We’re really doing amazing, guys. Just absolutely killing it.”

Lyra shrugged. “Hey, this is just the warm-up, right? The calm before the magical storm. We’re adventurers, Zane! We live for challenges!”

Zane gave her a look so flat it could have ironed clothes. “I think you’re mixing up ‘adventurer’ with ‘overworked, unpaid laborer.’”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Before Lyra could respond, a small figure ran toward them. It was Finn, their unofficial junior sidekick, bouncing like an excited puppy. “Guys, GUYS! You won’t believe what the villagers are talking about. There’s a legend... A MagicBeast that shows up during the full moon! The elders are freaking out about it.”

The three exchanged looks. Lyra’s eyes sparkled like a kid who just found out that candy grows on trees. Zane looked like someone had just told him he owed taxes. And Darius? He looked like he was already planning this whole thing in his head, complete with a flowchart.

“A MagicBeast, huh?” Lyra leaned in, curious. “Now that sounds fun. Spill it, Finn. What does it look like? Does it breathe fire? Sparkle like a disco ball?”

Finn shook his head. “I don’t know. I just heard stories. Things float when it’s near, and the air gets all heavy. Like it’s alive. Granny always said to stay inside during the full moon... Those who go looking for it don’t come back.”

Zane groaned so hard his soul might have left his body. “Perfect. Just what we needed. A mysterious monster. What’s next? A plague of frogs? Raining frogs?”

Lyra nudged him playfully. “Come on, Zane. Where’s your sense of adventure? This MagicBeast could be what we need! We tame it. Use its power. And boom, we’re heroes, with magical perks for the village!”

Zane stared at her. “You wanna use it? Are you nuts? That thing probably has ‘Village Destroyer’ on its resume, and you wanna use it?”

Lyra’s grin got bigger. “Who said anything about being friends? I’m thinking bigger. We tame it, control its magic. Imagine the headlines: ‘Local Heroes Tame MagicBeast, Save Village, Become Legends.’ Sounds pretty good, right?”

Darius crossed his arms and nodded slowly. “It is dangerous. But Lyra has a point. The village needs more than just supplies. It needs an advantage. This creature could be that advantage.”

Zane looked between them, survival instincts fighting with a tiny bit of hope. “You’re both insane. Completely, absolutely, legally insane. But...” He paused, his cautious side battling with the idea of maybe not failing. “Maybe crazy... is what we need right now.”

Finn’s eyes widened, a mix of excitement and fear. “So... you’re really gonna find the MagicBeast? For real?!”

Lyra patted him on the back. “Absolutely, Finn! And you’re coming with us, right? You’re our local expert on this thing.”

Finn’s face went pale, like someone had just given him a “Most Likely to Be a Monster Snack” award. “But... it’s dangerous! Granny said—”

“Granny also said a lot of people failed,” Lyra cut in, full of confidence. “But she didn’t count us, did she? We’re the ones who don’t give up!”

Darius nodded, eyes focused. “Lead the way, Finn. Let us face this beast.”

Zane’s shoulders slumped. “Oh joy. Certain death, here we come.”

Lyra laughed. “That’s the spirit, Zane! Now let’s go get ourselves a MagicBeast!”

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Chapter 10 Video/Audio version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us4VxuNNnWA