So this is the adventurer's guild. Adrian thought, as he looked at the building in front of him

Its stone walls were softened by ivy weaving over the large arched windows. Above the entrance, a carved wooden sign displayed the guild’s emblem: a sword crossed with a shield, circled by stars. Not too shabby.

Mimi peaked out from within Adrian's cloak, looking around expectantly. Adrian rubbed her ears gently, whispering, "Sorry, but it might be best if you hide again for a while."

The small fox let out a slight huff, before finally hiding deeper in Adrian's cloak. Her flames dissipated into faint embers before vanishing completely.

“Double-check your gear before we go in,” Marcus said.

Adrian let out a quiet sigh and set his backpack on the ground. He unfastened the clasp and opened it, sifting through its modest contents: a small roll of bandages, a waterskin, a pouch of dried rations, a bundle of fire-starting sticks, and a weathered map. He mentally cataloged the items as he spread them out briefly on the stone pavement. It’s not much, but it’ll do.

He tucked the items back into place, pulling the flap closed securely. “I’ve got what I need,” Adrian said, lifting the bag and slinging it over his shoulder once more.

Marcus raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms as his gaze flicked to the modest pack. “That’s it? You sure that’ll be enough?"

Adrian smiled, giving the older man a confident glance. “I’ll manage. Besides, you said this was just to get me started, right? I’m not planning on hauling anything extra until I know I need it.”

Marcus’s lips twitched in a faint grin before he nodded in approval. “Fair enough. Ready to head in?”

Adrian straightened and adjusted the cloak draped over his shoulders. He met Marcus’s gaze with a firm nod. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

With Marcus's help, Adrian pushed the doors open and stepped inside the guild hall. The space was spacious with wooden beams stretching across a vaulted ceiling. The walls were decorated with colorful banners and various pieces of armor and weapons hung in neat displays. Wooden tables filled the center of the room, scattered with adventurers chatting with each other and drinking ale. It's been too long since I've seen scenery like this.

But what captured his attention most was the figure behind the reception desk. An elf with pointed ears peeking out of vivid green hair. She wore a simple uniform in the guild’s colors, a brown vest over a white shirt, with silver embroidery along the collar. The first elf I've seen so far, they must be quite rare around these parts.

Marcus led him to the desk, clearing his throat slightly as they approached. The elf looked up, her green eyes focusing on them with a polite but mildly skeptical expression.

“Good morning, I’d like to register this kid for the adventurer’s examination.” Marcus greeted.

The elf raised a finely arched eyebrow, looking at Adrian with a hint of disbelief. “For the examination? Is he… experienced enough?"

“Adrian might be young, but I’ll vouch for him personally.”

The elf’s skeptical gaze lingered on Adrian before she let out a sigh “If this is some kind of prank, it isn’t funny.”

Marcus chuckled, undeterred. “No prank. I’m dead serious."

The elf’s expression hardened, her gaze flicking between Marcus and Adrian. “You’re seriously trying to register a child as an adventurer? Are you out of your mind?”

Marcus scratched the back of his head, tilting his head in mock contemplation. “Huh. Is that not allowed? I didn’t see any rules about it on the notice board outside.”

“Of course it’s not allowed!” she snapped. “Only adults can be adventurers. There’s no way—”

Before she could finish, a deep, gravelly voice interrupted her. “Hold on a moment.”

The elf froze, her head snapping toward the source of the voice. Adrian turned as well, his curiosity piqued. Who do we have here?

An older man entered the room with a purposeful stride, his presence commanding attention before he spoke a word. Broad shoulders and a muscular frame bore the weight of decades of experience. His gray hair framed a face marked by discipline, and a thick, neatly groomed mustache gave him an air of dignity.

He wore a simple martial artist’s uniform, its faded fabric and frayed edges telling the story of countless battles fought and lessons learned. His hands, wrapped tightly in cloth bandages worn from years of training, carried a bundle of fresh wraps.

“Guildmaster Sigmund!” the elf receptionist exclaimed, her voice lifting in surprise as she quickly bowed her head. “I wasn’t expecting you to be here today.”

Sigmund approached the desk, placing the bundle on the counter. “Just delivering these. They’re for my grandson. Make sure he gets them when you see him.”

The elf nodded quickly, her earlier irritation melting into deference. “Of course, Guildmaster.”

So this is the Guildmaster, Adrian thought, watching the man closely. He looks like he's been through a lot, though I suppose that should be expected for someone who's managed to reach an advanced age while adventuring.

Sigmund’s sharp eyes turned to Adrian, lingering for a moment as though weighing something unseen. “You’re an interesting one, I can see that you've got potential.”

Adrian’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise passing over his face. “Thank you, sir."

"Kid, do you really want to become an adventurer?"

"I do, because I want to see more of the world."

"Good answer, but you are aware that child adventurers aren't exactly… common, yes?"

"I came here because I believe I'm capable. And if I'm not, then I'd likely fail the entry examination anyway."

Sigmund let out a booming laugh that filled the hall, drawing the attention of nearby adventurers. “My grandson isn’t much older than you, and he’s determined to become one. If he can try, why shouldn’t you? Talent and determination don’t come with an age requirement.”

The receptionist’s jaw tightened, and she straightened as if preparing for an argument. “Guildmaster, with all due respect, there’s a reason most adventurers are adults. A child—”

“There’s no law against it,” Sigmund interjected. “The entry exam exists to weed out those who aren’t ready, regardless of their age. If he’s not capable, he’ll fail. Simple as that.”

Marcus smirked, clapping Adrian on the shoulder. “You heard the big man. No rules against it.”

The elf let out a long, weary sigh, her professional demeanor slipping just a bit. “What’s your name?”

Adrian straightened, meeting her gaze. “Adrian,” he said clearly. “Just Adrian.”

She jotted the name down with brisk efficiency. “Any prior adventuring experience?”

“Not officially."

Her quill paused mid-stroke, and she glanced at him with a hint of disbelief before continuing. “The examination takes place in an hour or so,” she said, handing him a slip of paper. “Bring this to the training grounds. They’ll direct you to the exam area.”

Adrian took the slip carefully. “Thank you,” he said, inclining his head.

Sigmund clapped Adrian on the back with surprising gentleness, his massive hand nearly covering Adrian’s entire shoulder. “Good luck, kid. I hope you don't disappoint."

“Thank you, sir,” Adrian replied, his chest swelling with a mix of excitement and nerves.

Sigmund turned to leave, his imposing frame moving with a grace that belied his size. “I’ve got a lot to handle today, but I’ll be keeping an ear out for how you do, Adrian.”

With the registration complete, the elf gave Adrian a nod of polite dismissal before returning her attention to the ledger in front of her. The boy glanced at the slip of paper in his hand. Honestly, I'm actually quite excited for this whole adventuring thing.

“By the way, do you mind if we step outside for a few minutes?” Marcus said, breaking into his thoughts.

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"Sure, any reason?"

"Just want to talk, kid."

Once outside, Adrian took a deep breath, the cool air clearing his head. He turned to Marcus, waiting for whatever words might come next.

Marcus leaned against one of the stone columns near the entrance, arms crossed. He studied Adrian for a long moment before speaking, his voice softer than usual. “How do you feel?"

The boy shrugged lightly. "Mildly excited, to be completely frank."

"Figured you'd say something like that." Marcus said with a chuckle.

"Were you expecting a better response?" Adrian asked.

"No, no. It's just… I feel proud, you know?"

"Oh? This is rare coming from you."

"I'm serious."

Marcus's chuckle faded into a wistful smile as he pushed off from the column and stepped closer to Adrian. “It feels like just yesterday that you stumbled into me and my party, yet you still managed to pull us out of that mess.”

“I just did what I had to.” Adrian said.

“Not everyone would’ve helped. I’ve fought alongside a lot of people in my time, kid, but not many would risk themselves like that for a bunch of strangers. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

Adrian let out a warm smile. "In all fairness, you and Anisa helped me a lot too by taking me in. Before, I didn't have a home, and now I do."

Marcus swallowed hard and continued. “Honestly, when I took you in after that, it wasn’t out of pity. I wanted to give back just a little of what you’d given us. You came to live with me and Anisa, and in those three years… it’s like you became family.”

Seeing the usually unflappable Marcus so vulnerable made Adrian’s own throat tighten. Without thinking, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the older man. For a moment, neither of them spoke. They just held on.

When they finally pulled apart, Marcus took a shaky breath. “You take care of yourself out there, kid. No matter what happens, remember you’ve got people waiting for you. You hear me?”

Adrian nodded, his own eyes damp. “I hear you. I’ll be back.”

Marcus forced a smile, clapping Adrian’s shoulder one last time. “Good. Now go on. I’ve got to make myself scarce before I turn into a blubbering mess.”

Adrian managed a laugh, the sound carrying some of the tension away. “You’re not too far off."

“Watch it,” Marcus said, his voice regaining some of its familiar lightness. He took a step back, then another, giving Adrian a final nod. “Take care, kid.”

“You too, Marcus.”

And with that, Marcus turned and walked away, his figure disappearing down the cobbled path. Adrian stood for a long moment, letting the weight of their words sink in before he turned his eyes forward. That was unexpected, but not unpleasant.

As Adrian stood there, lost in thought, a voice broke through the quiet air around him. “All new examinees, this way! Gather at the training grounds!”

The call came from a guild staff member, a burly man wearing a leather tunic emblazoned with the guild’s crest. Adrian squared his shoulders, taking one last deep breath. This is it.

***

Adrian stepped onto the training grounds, a sandy expanse enclosed by a low stone wall and dotted with training dummies and weapon racks. The atmosphere was tense, the air filled with whispers and the quiet shuffling of those already assembled. He approached the gatekeeper, a gruff guard whose gaze swept over him with a look of mild surprise.

“You here for the exam?” the guard asked.

Adrian nodded, holding out his paper. The guard scanned it briefly before giving a short nod and gesturing to the sidelines. “Alright, then. Wait over there until the instructor arrives."

Adrian took his place along the edge, doing his best to ignore the curious glances and faint smirks cast his way by the other examinees. They think I’m just a kid who doesn’t belong here, he thought, keeping his expression neutral as he held his ground, silently observing those around him.

Most of the participants were average looking adults. But among the crowd, two figures stood out as particularly formidable.

One was a tall man encased in full black armor. The ornate design of the armor was intricate, with carved etchings along the plates and a helm that obscured his face entirely. Something about him doesn’t feel… human. Certainly an interesting figure at the least.

The second figure was a boy only a few years older than Adrian, with brown hair poking out from beneath a plain headband that acted as a blindfold. His attire was that of a martial artist: a loose tunic and trousers, bound with white cloth wraps at his wrists and ankles, and a sash tied firmly at his waist.

The blindfolded boy stood calmly, his stance loose but controlled, like he could snap into motion at any moment. Judging from the wraps, that one is probably Guildmaster Sigmund's grandson. I'm curious as to what he's capable of.

Adrian kept his face expressionless, tucking these observations away as he scanned the rest of the competition. But before he could take in more, a hush fell over the grounds as the instructor entered.

The instructor was an elderly mage with a gray beard flowing down to his chest, and his robes embroidered with faint silver symbols. He leaned heavily on a carved wooden staff as he reached the center of the grounds before taking a long breath.

A snicker broke the silence as one of the examinees, a broad-shouldered man with a cocky grin, rolled his eyes. “Really? This old man needs a stick just to get around?” he muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. A few of the others laughed quietly, and the man smirked, clearly enjoying the attention.

The instructor paused, raising his head just enough to fix the man with a piercing gaze. “You find something funny?”

The man chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “Nah, no offense, old man. Just wondering how you plan to test us if you’re leaning on that staff to stay upright.”

The instructor’s expression remained calm, though a hint of irritation flashed in his gaze. “In that case, why don’t you begin the examination right now? Step forward."

The examinee’s smirk faltered, but he tried to play it off, swaggering to the center of the grounds. “Fine by me. What’s the test?”

The instructor tapped his staff on the ground, then traced a circle in the air. A shimmering orb of white light materialized above the ground, hovering and radiating a faint warmth.

“For the first examination, each of you must accomplish a simple task. Extinguish this light.”

He raised a hand, and the orb began to float, moving unpredictably around the training grounds, bobbing and weaving as if testing the reactions of the competitors. “Based on your performance, I will recommend you for further testing or assign a grade ranking that determines your adventurer rank, from E up to A.”

The instructor’s gaze shifted back to the loud examinee. “You, go ahead and extinguish the light.”

The examinee tried to laugh it off, glancing nervously at the orb as it floated in front of him. He reached for his sword, unsheathing it with a flourish and charging at the orb, swinging wildly.

But the orb darted out of his reach with ease, moving faster than he could keep up. He stumbled, cursing under his breath as he swung again and missed over and over.

The crowd watched in silence, some with smirks and others with sympathy. Adrian kept his gaze fixed on the instructor, noting the faint smirk on the old man’s face as the examinee’s attacks became increasingly sloppy. This test isn’t about brute force, that loud one needs to actually calm down and think.

After a few minutes, the examinee stood panting, glaring at the orb in frustration. The instructor raised his hand, and the orb came to a still, hovering just out of the man’s reach. “Enough."

The first examinee’s face flushed red as the instructor turned to him, his expression unreadable but clearly disappointed.

“For your performance, I am assigning you an E rank. Barely passing.” the instructor said.

The examinee’s eyes widened, his face contorting in disbelief. “E rank? You’ve got to be kidding! That was just a warm-up, I— I could’ve done better if you’d given me another shot!”

The instructor tilted his head, meeting the man’s gaze with a sharp, unforgiving stare. “You didn’t assess the orb’s movements and instead relied on brute strength. In fact, you wasted time swinging without thought, you lost your balance, and, finally, you let frustration cloud your judgment. This test is about precision and patience. You demonstrated neither.”

A ripple of laughter spread through the group, though Adrian noticed the black-armored knight and the blindfolded boy remained silent. The humiliated examinee flushed an even deeper shade of red as the others’ snickers filled the training grounds.

But his embarrassment quickly turned to fury. Without warning, he reached for his sword and lunged at the instructor. “I’ll show you who’s unfit to be an adventurer!”

The instructor didn’t flinch. With a simple wave of his hand and a quiet murmur, a gust of wind erupted from his staff, crashing into the attacker and sending him flying backward. The man tumbled across the sand, skidding to a stop just shy of the wall.

The training grounds fell silent as the instructor lowered his staff, his gaze sweeping over the gathered examinees. “If anyone else feels the need to act out, you are free to leave."

His gaze lingered on the smirking faces in the crowd, and the laughter died down instantly. “Now. Next.”

His gaze landed on the blindfolded boy, who inclined his head respectfully before stepping forward, his bare feet moving gracefully across the sand. A few of the other examinees chuckled under their breath, exchanging amused looks.

But the instructor’s voice cut through the murmurs sharply. “If you find this funny, you’re welcome to be next,” he warned, causing the other examinees to instantly fall silent.

The instructor's gaze fixed on the blindfolded boy. “You. Step forward.”

The boy didn’t move. Adrian couldn't help but smile a bit at what he saw. Well isn't he cheeky, sneaking one in like this.

“Boy, did you hear me or not?" The instructor asked.

Still, the boy stood motionless. Some of the other examinees stifled chuckles, elbowing each other. One of them whispered, “Is he deaf or something?”

The instructor’s eyes narrowed slightly as realization dawned. With a deep sigh, he raised his staff and muttered a short incantation. A sphere of water appeared above the boy’s head and promptly burst, drenching him from head to toe.

The boy jolted awake with a start, arms flailing as he stumbled backward. His feet slipped in the wet sand, sending him crashing unceremoniously onto his backside.

Laughter erupted from the gathered crowd. But Adrian kept his expression neutral. Napping while standing is certainly… something.

The instructor waited patiently as the laughter subsided. “Are you awake now?”

The boy scrambled to his feet, shaking his damp hair. “Yes! Yes, I’m awake!” He brushed sand from his tunic, almost comically flustered.

Another ripple of laughter threatened to spread, but a single sharp glare from the instructor silenced it. He turned back to the boy. “Very well. Are you ready for the test?”

"I'm ready."

The boy's demeanor shifted; he rolled his shoulders, loosening his stance, and exhaled slowly. The yawning didn’t help his appearance, though, and a few mutters reached Adrian’s ears.

“What a joke, bet he’ll trip over his own feet trying to catch that light.” One man sneered.

Adrian’s eyes stayed on the boy. He's got this.

The orb of white light floated back into view as the instructor’s gaze met the boy’s. “Your task is to extinguish the light. Begin.”