Gryff’s eyes widened. Shit.

He glanced at the other two. “Laken, take left. Bree, right. I’ll go center. Spread out!”

Laken nodded, twirling his sword in his hand as he took two steps to the left.

Bree nodded and moved to the right, her shield held in front of her. Gryff took a deep breath and charged forward, his spear aimed toward Iris. As he got closer, he could feel a static charge in the air and his eyes widened.

Gryff feinted to the left, causing Iris to dodge the opposite way. Taking advantage of her error, he lunged forward and thrust his spear toward her. Iris managed to dodge the attack, and at the same time launched small orbs of crackling lightning at him and the others.

The spell connected with his chest and Gryff felt a shock of electricity run through his body. He stumbled back, his muscles twitching as he grunted from the pricks that ran through his body.

“Shit! That hurts,” Bree cried out.

Gryff stole a glance at the other two and saw Laken and Bree also struggling, both of them affected by Iris’s lightning.

Iris took advantage of their weakened state and quickly closed the distance between them. With lightning-fast movements, she disarmed Laken and Bree before they could react.

Then using Laken’s sword, she spun and held it point first at his neck, yet again.

Gryff groaned.

“All three of you just died,” Iris stated evenly. “Gryff died… again.”

She handed the sword back to Laken and the four of them reset their positions.

Gryff couldn't believe it. They were all well-trained guards, but he still couldn't defeat Iris. She was just too skilled and powerful. But Gryff wasn’t one to give up easily.

“Okay, let's try this again,” he said, determined to learn from their mistakes and come up with a better strategy.

They spread out once more, this time taking a different approach. Bree went in first, distracting Iris with her shield and spear while Laken circled around from the side. Gryff waited for the perfect moment to strike, watching Iris's movements carefully.

As Iris focused on Bree, Laken made his move, swinging his sword at her from the side. But Iris was too quick, and with a flick of her wrist, she knocked the sword out of Laken's hand.

Gryff seized the opportunity and charged forward, thrusting his spear at Iris with all his might. But she was ready for him, and with a swift move, she disarmed him too.

Bree took that moment to launch forward from behind Iris, giving the two men a chance to retrieve their weapons.

The medic caught two of the terran’s spells on her shield and jabbed forward. At the moment just before it would have connected with the redhead’s chest, something happened.

Iris transformed into a being of pure lightning and then surged straight up into the sky.

Gryff’s eyes went wide, and cries of surprise could be heard from the crowd that had gathered.

The mass of crackling lightning exploded in the air, Iris reemerging from the spell like a goddess. Before she even started to fall, streams of wind circled her, and she started floating slowly downward.

Her hands lit up with lightning.

“Shit,” he said, resigned.

“Shield up!” Bree called out.

He barely got his shield up as the terran started raining balls of lightning down on their heads. Laken was quickly hit and the man fell to the ground groaning and twitching. Bree managed to block two before one clipped her in the leg and then she, too, went down.

Finally, the woman focused on him. With a flick of her wrist, Iris sent a powerful bolt of lightning toward Gryff. He managed to raise his shield just in time, but the force of the impact sent him tumbling backward. As he struggled to regain his footing, Iris closed in on him, her lightning crackling and flashing around her.

Gryff raised his spear and tried to attack, but Iris easily sidestepped his thrust and countered with a quick blast of lightning that left him reeling. He stumbled backward, his body convulsing from the shock.

Iris pressed her advantage, her movements graceful and fluid as she dodged and weaved around Gryff's attacks, knowing if the setting was real, he would have died multiple times already.

With a final burst of lightning, she sent him flying backward, his body slamming into the ground with a painful thud.

The crowd gasped in shock as Iris emerged victorious, her lightning crackling around her in a show of power.

“The key to fighting a magic user is to make sure they’re not a higher level than you,” Iris said as the three of them groaned on the ground. “If they are? Run. Or hit them with literally everything you got and pray.”

Yeah, no shit.

As Gryff stumbled to his feet, his entire body aching from the abuse of training he just received, one of the other guard captains stepped forward, looking at Iris.

“Who are you?” the woman asked.

Iris smiled. “I’m Iris. The Adventurer,” she said before gesturing to the three sore guards whose asses she just kicked. “And this is my party.”

He wasn’t sure why, but that made Gryff smile. She was powerful, skilled, and confident, but also kind and willing to share her knowledge with others. He couldn’t help but wonder what other adventures she had been on, and what kind of feats she had accomplished.

Maybe that could be me, too.

✦ ✦ ✦

Iris stood by as the three grabbed some water. They had gone a few more times, and each time the coordination between the three improved. They still lost… but at least they were getting better. The final time, Iris used a sword and shield, which made the bout end even more quickly.

They’ve got to be a bit lower level. They simply can’t keep up.

Their show had made everyone nearby interested and she had fielded numerous questions about her magic and training methods. She answered each one with a patient smile, enjoying the attention.

As the crowd slowly dispersed, Iris turned to Gryff. “You three put up a good fight,” she said, a note of respect in her voice. “We’ll get a few more training sessions in, but mainly to show how we can work together.”

Gryff grinned, the telv standing a bit straighter. “I know I’m looking forward to it,” he replied. “We learned a lot from this.”

Bree and Laken nodded.

“Good,” she said, nodding. “Remember what I said though. If you ever come across a magic user who’s too strong for you, don’t try to be a hero.”

Bree chuckled. “Don’t have to worry about that. We’ll have you!”

Oh gods, I’m carrying them aren’t I. Ah, well… If I want more adventurers someone’s gotta do it.

Iris laughed. “Fair enough. But seriously, you guys could have taken the last magic user I faced, but you have to be careful. Until we leave, I suggest you guys work on gaining abilities. We’ll go over that, but first, I want you three to go to the temple and undergo the Ceremony of Paths. Tell them Iris and Kaira sent you.”

Gryff raised a brow.

Iris waved him off before he could say anything. “Kaira knows the Praetor there. Just name-drop her, she’ll be okay with it. Probably.”

“If it’s alright with you, I think I should probably bathe first,” Bree said while sniffing at her armpit. “I don’t want to potentially meet with the highest-ranking paladin in the city smelling like this.”

Stolen novel; please report.

Iris snorted. “Of course!”

As her party members made their way to clean up and prepare to head to the temple, Iris noticed a familiar pair walking into the training grounds. It was Kaira and Mocha, returning from their own errands. Iris smiled and waved as they approached.

Her eyes widened at the sight of Mocha, who was now wearing a set of plate armor that covered her entire body, with a sharp spike protruding from the center of the armor over her head, giving her the appearance of a fierce and majestic war unicorn.

She couldn't believe how badass and intimidating Mocha looked in the armor, a far cry from the gentle horse she met on the farm. Iris felt a sense of pride welling up inside of her at the sight, realizing that Mocha had come a long way from being a mere mare. She had leveled alongside Iris, and now she was every bit the warrior Iris was.

Kaira noticed Iris's reaction and chuckled. “Yeah, Mocha looks the part of a proper warhorse now, doesn't she?” she said, giving the horse a pat on the flank. “I got her some new armor. If she’s going to be coming with us into this fight, she needs to be equipped to do so.”

“Oh, my gods, Iris. I look amazing! Look at me!” Mocha whinnied, standing tall.

Iris chuckled and walked over to her horse. “You do look amazing,” she said. “I’m almost afraid to fight alongside you now, you might steal all the attention.”

Mocha let out a snort. “As if!”

Iris couldn’t help but laugh. “So you two had fun?”

Mocha nodded. “Yeah, she’s not so bad. I guess we can keep her,” the horse nickered.

She shook her head, a smile playing on her face as she turned to the elf, the woman smirking. “Kaira, I…”

“Just say thank you,” she said. “And consider it my contribution to the guild.”

Iris nodded, grateful for Kaira's help. “Thank you,” she said, reaching out to give Kaira a quick hug. “It means a lot to me, and to Mocha too.”

Kaira smiled, returning the hug. “Of course. Anything to help out my favorite adventurer and her trusty steed.”

“Back to the inn? I want to show Sera and Tanith!” Mocha whinnied.

Iris snorted. “Yeah, let’s go back to the inn. I told the others to meet us there, anyway.”

Kaira’s eyes narrowed as she looked around. “Where are they?”

“I sent them to the temple to do the Ceremony of Paths. We need to know their information and come up with a plan for how to get you all to improve,” she explained. “Oh, and I told them to tell that praetor that you sent them.”

“Wait… what?”

“Yeah! You and that woman seemed to be on good terms,” Iris said with a wink. “Let’s go.”

Kaira groaned.

Iris climbed up into the saddle on Mocha’s back and reached out to Kaira. “Want to ride?”

Mocha huffed. “You didn’t even ask me first!” she nickered. “But sure, Kaira’s tiny. She can ride.”

Kaira chuckled. “I still don’t know how you understand what she’s saying, but sure.”

She grabbed Iris’s wrist and climbed behind her, settling down and wrapping her arms around the adventurer’s waist.

Iris smiled.

This is right.

✦ ✦ ✦

Iris and Kaira settled into the inn, ordering some food and drinks as they waited for the rest of their party to return from the temple. Sera and Tanith had gone to spend time with Mocha as the horse showed off her new gear.

The inn was cozy and warm, with a fire crackling in the hearth and a lively buzz of conversation filling the air. Iris leaned back in her chair, feeling content and at ease for the first time in a while. It was good to have a moment to relax and enjoy the company of the cute elf.

As they waited, Iris caught up with Kaira, showing off her new armor and telling her about everything with Marlena.

“She’s never offered to do any work with my armor before!” Kaira complained.

“Well, I did give her some business,” Iris offered. “Maybe that’s why?”

“I was the one that introduced you to her!” she whined. “That should count for something…”

Iris chuckled and took a drink of her ale. “Are you ready for this quest?” she asked, changing topics.

Kaira looked up at her searchingly. After a moment, she nodded. “Yes. I’m ready. Take a couple days to work out team tactics then go?”

“Yup, that’s the plan. We also need supplies and a wagon,” Iris said.

“A wagon? Why do we need that?” the woman asked.

“For the equipment, weapons, and whatever else we might need for the journey. Plus all the loot we get. We can’t exactly carry everything on our backs,” Iris explained. “Mocha and I will ride, while the rest of you take the wagon. We’re not going off and fighting horseback, so we don’t need to function like a cavalry.”

Kaira nodded in understanding. “That makes sense. I’ll see what I can find. Renting one should be fine?”

Iris nodded. “Yes, we don’t need to buy one at the moment. Maybe not ever. We’ll see.”

The two slipped into a conversation about supplies they’d need, and Iris explained the deal with the Fenren Merchant Company.

Eventually, Gryff, Bree, and Laken arrived, looking refreshed and energized from their time at the temple. They joined Iris and Kaira at their table, greeting them with smiles, and settled into chairs, ordering food and drinks as they caught up.

“So, how was the temple?” Iris asked.

“It was… intense,” Gryff said, running a hand through his hair. “We underwent the Ceremony of Paths, and then the Umbral Seers explained everything.”

He took out a scroll and held it tightly in his hand. “To be told your path and purpose in life… It’s eye-opening.”

Kaira’s eyes widened. “What did you learn?”

“I’m a [Spear Fighter] on the 24th step,” Gryff said, his back straightening.

Iris smiled. “Level 24 is good!”

Laken tilted his head. “Level?”

“Level is what my people call steps,” she explained. “It seems the Church just chose terms that best reflect the religious aspect of how they view the system. That’s why what I call a status is the wordy Excerpt of your Path. Path… Class, also the same thing.”

The three nodded.

“What is your path and step, Iris?” Bree asked.

“I am a level 45 [Storm Warden],” Iris proclaimed proudly.

The three shared a glance.

“So… What about you two?” Iris asked them.

“I’m a… level… 28 [Ranger],” Laken added, grinning. “I’m the second highest level of our group!”

“Of course, you are,” Bree said, rolling her eyes playfully. “I’m a step 25 [Bard]. Apparently, I am also a hybrid.”

Iris’s eyes went wide. “That’s how you were able to see my stuff earlier! And a bard is really good! Do you play any instruments?”

Kaira squinted. “Uhm, what does that have to do with anything, Iris?”

“A bard’s magic is weaved through words and music. It’s the basis of all they do,” she explained.

Bree opened and closed her mouth a few times. Laken and Gryff started laughing.

Gryff shook his head as his laughter subsided. “You’re telling me, she’s got to sing or play us a jaunty tune to use magic?”

Iris smiled. “Yup! And based on her chosen profession, we’re going to test if her magic will allow it to heal us.”

Everyone stopped and stared at that. “I can use magic to heal?” Bree asked quietly.

Iris shrugged. “No idea! We’ll need to test it.”

The woman nodded. “I do sing…”

Iris quirked a brow. “Any instruments?”

Please be a lute, please be a lute!

“I dabble with a lute,” she replied hesitantly.

Yes!

“...but I don’t feel comfortable using that during a fight… Maybe, I can just sing?” the woman added as if even she thought the idea silly.

Boo! But we can work with this! Bards are awesome!

Pumped at having a bard in the party, she turned to Kaira. “And you, sweetheart? What is your stuff?”

Iris froze as she realized what she had mistakenly said. Kaira, however, smiled at Iris’s slip of the tongue and leaned forward.

“I'm a level 30 [Champion],” she stated with a smirk at Laken, who grunted good-naturedly in response.

Iris nodded in approval. “That’s going to be really useful, especially if we’re facing off against any particularly tough opponents. I’m sure we can get you some defensive-based abilities as we practice.”

Kaira smiled. “I’d like that.”

“Sounds like we’ve got a pretty well-rounded party,” Iris said. “A fighter, ranger, bard, champion, and a mage. We’ve got offense, defense, healing, and support all covered!”

There was a moment of silence as the rest of the party absorbed this information. Then Laken spoke up. “Don’t forget our fierce warhorse!”

Iris chuckled. “I’d never forget Mocha! She’s the fiercest one on the team. And probably almost as high level as me.”

Laken and Kaira shared a mischievous look that had Iris worried. Unfortunately, dinner arrived before she could call them out on it.

Over dinner, they discussed their training session and what they had learned. Iris shared some of her own techniques with them, encouraging them to practice and hone their skills. They talked about the upcoming quest and what they might expect, strategizing and preparing for the challenges ahead.

As they finished their dinner and got ready to part for the night, Iris swept her gaze over her party. “Remember, we’re all in this together,” she said, grabbing ahold of her mug. “We’ll need to rely on each other’s skills and abilities to make it through this quest alive.”

“Agreed,” Kaira said, raising her mug. “To the party.”

They all raised their mugs in a toast, feeling a sense of camaraderie and excitement for the journey ahead.

Iris downed the rest of her ale and smiled. It made her happy to finally be a part of something. To have people that were there to help her do good.

My luck is finally turning.