*-CHAPTER TWO-*

*Cobble town*

Kaluar trudged wearily back to his homeland, his disheveled figure covered in dirt and bruises. His unruly hair stuck out in awkward angles as his narrowed eyes reflected the weariness of his journey, the stinging cuts from climbing up the ravine a constant reminder of the challenges he faced.

His hands instinctively found the familiar straps of his bag, and a weary smile broke free across his fatigued face as he realized he had finally returned. Hurrying towards the guild, he pushed open the door with all the strength he could muster, the handle slamming against the wall as he entered, the noise not dwindling its liveliness for an instant.

The smell of beer and wine and the cheers of returning adventurers clogged the guild in its lively banter. Glasses collide in merriment as beer spills on the tables, running off the edges and leaving the work to the cleaners.

Kaluar's eyes widened, his smile getting wider as he saw the cheers he were familiar with, glad that the guild hadn't changed a bit.

'Fiona!' His voice echoed through the guild, and he made his way to the receptionist's desk, determined to share the tales of his recent adventure.

Fiona turned to him, a smile on her face, she had just finished placing another mission on the mission board, waiting on a brave adventurer to take it off her hands.

'A mission?' He thought, his mind now focusing on the piece of paper.

'Oh you're back,' She said with an endearing smile.

'I assume you finished your first task?'

'What's that?' Kaluar pointed to the paper on the board, curiosity lurks in his eyes, a thirst for more adventure, to see it all.

'Someone wants some book to be transported to Prospera, a place of humans and trade.' She said, her hand on her hips, sighing to herself.

'Though, no one wants to take it, claiming it was too easy and the reward is so low.' Her eyebrow furrows, wanting to get rid of the damned thing as soon as possible.

'I tried putting it up multiple times, but-'

'I'll do it!' Kaluar interjected, cutting her off from her monologue, eyebrow furrowing over his eyes leaving no room for argument.

'You'd take this one?' Fiona questioned, her eyebrow raised as she took it off the board and handed it to him.

'Well, If you're sure.' She murmured.

Kaluar took the assignment with pride, his eyes lighting up as the paper crushed under his fingers, Celi looked over his shoulder her eyes also filled with curiosity from what was about to happen.

'Okay! We got this!' He said with a determined grin, his fist pumping in the air from excitement, Celi hopped onto the receptionist's desk as Fiona placed a book on the table, its hard cover laced with an intricate design of wooden chains that stretched to the cover.

A seal was placed on it, a blue glow emitting from its hardened brown cover.

Kaluar picked it up from the table, his hands brushing against the design his finger bumping over the seems in a look of awe, the book was smooth to the touch but had so many bumps and indents.

'That's the book in question, they said it's very important and not to open it.' She sighed, leaning against the desk, her elbows right next to Celi.

'Not like we can though, with that seal on.' She muttered.

'But getting back to you, I beg you to be careful, Prospera is a decent mile away even if you have Celi to guide you it won't be as fun as you think-' Her words fell on deaf ears as our hero was already on his way out, book and bag in tow, leaving both Celi and Fiona behind.

'Is he always like this?' Celi muttered, clearly pissed by his way of working.

'Yeah, most of the time.' Fiona leaned more onto the desk, her hand cupping her face with an endearing smile on his face.

'You could say he's like Gerard in that sense huh? Always up for adventure, always running head first.' She sighed,

A small huff came from Celi's lips, folding her arm with a cross yet cute expression, it was hard to take her seriously.

'He's nothing like Gerard.' She muttered, her eyes filled with annoyance yet an odd fondness, like she was about to giggle just thinking about it like she was growing a small soft spot for the young elf.

'But what do you think about him so far? Is he the one? will you stay on his adventure?' A smile crossed on the receptionist, her gaze more of a teasing one as she stared at the little elf on her desk.

'He's reckless, but not the kind of reckless that just, jumps into situations, he's the kind to think of a plan even if it's small, that's what I get from the first impression at least. I'll probably stick around, and see where he takes me.' She smiled, getting up from the desk and looking at Fiona giving her a small wave.

'I'll be off now, or he'd surely get lost.'

Fiona laughed waving goodbye to the tiny elf.

'Bye, keep Kaluar safe for me.'

'I'll do my best.' Celi announced before hopping off the desk, leaving Fiona to her thoughts.

'Oh Celi,' She thought as she leaned back and continued her work in the guild.

'I do wish you luck.'

'Alright! To Prospera!' Kaluar cheered his fists to the sky as he made his way out of the village. His book in hand.

'Wait a minute! Slow down!' Celi shouted from huffed breaths, her feet desperately trying to catch up to his giant steps.

'Oh, sorry.' The young elf chuckled lightly, kneeling down and stretching his hands out to her so she could mount it, her tiny hands wrapping around his thumb to get on just as before.

She walked up his arm and nestled on his shoulder, her hand lightly holding onto his hair in the event she fell. Kaluar smiled, holding the book he was tasked to carry close to his heart as he began his journey once more, the lively and merry sounds of the village, replaced with the calm, serene ambiance of the Eldrian fields.

'So where do we go?' Kaluar asked as he trekked forward, his heavy boots pushing through the tall grass with each step, their slow and smooth dance tickling his exposed leg as he walked.

'There's only one known way to get to Prospera.' Celi stated, looking at the pop up she created with her mana this time showing the image of Elvendoria.

'We have to go to Cobble town, a small village connected to the train of Elvendoria, and get there that way.' Celi said, her fingers swiping through the screen.

'Ok, Cobble town we go!' He said with a smile, the sun going down into the horizon as they continued their journey. The once bright clear sky turned into a beautiful dark blue, the stars littering the sky accompanying the moon in it's beauty, the brighter they shined, the more the moon outshined them.

Kaluar and Celi staring up to the sky, a fire crackling near them, adding to the ambience, emitting a soft orange light on their faces, an understanding silence between them.

'So.' Kaluar muttered, trying to break the silence between them, looking up to her with a smile.

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'Which one's your favorite?'

'huh?' Celi looked at him, confused by what he meant.

'Constellation, mine's Aquarius.' he said, looking back up to the sky, his smile never fading as the orange light bounced off his face.

'Well, I guess mine's the big dipper.' Celi murmurs.

'Haha, makes sense.' He commented, sitting up as his gaze locks on to the stars.

'How so?' She pondered, mimicking his motions, her gaze on him as he stared into the sky.

'I mean, lots of people use the big dipper to navigate when they're lost, isn't that the same thing you're doing with me?' The young hero smiled at the tiny elf, her eyes widened in realization to what he meant, a small smile appearing on her lips as well.

'Yeah.' Celi muttered,

'I guess you're right.' The stars continued to sparkle in the sky as our adventurers looked up in awe, their shine landing on the silver on Kaluar's gun. Celi's gaze landed on it, her eyes scanning it's intricate design. Vines wrapping around the muzzle, holding a heart between the cracks, the vines avoiding puncturing it's fragile state.

Her mind traveling to what Kaluar did a while ago, shooting flames out of his musket with both concentrated and explosive force.

'Hey, Celi.' Kaluar muttered, grabbing her attention.

'Yeah?' She responds looking up at the young elf, his hands nestling his head as he relaxed against the soft embrace of the grass below.

'Are you real?' He asked. His eyes panning over to her meeting her disapproving scowl.

'What kind of question is that?!' She argued, sighing in disappointment as she finally sat up staring him in the eyes.

'I mean, are you real, or are you just a spell made by someone.' He inquired, his face got even more clueless to the question he was asking, his words clearly irritating her.

'Of course I'm real!' She shouted.

'Then why are you all blue?' He inquired, clearly messing with her.

'I’m clearly projecting myself from-' She cuts herself off mid-sentence realizing what he’s doing, her hand on her hips the minute she does.

'Are you messing with me?' She mutters, facepalming that she even fell for that.

Kaluar burst out into laughter, holding his sides as he continued his joyful howl. his laugh soon turning into a muffled snicker covering his mouth with his hand. Celi soon joined him in the light hearted fun, the happiness he willingly shares.

'What about you? What's your story?' She pondered, looking at him with the smile that was left behind from their laughter.

'My story? He rubbed his cheek awkwardly as he sat up, hoping the beginning would just come to him.

'Where should I even start?' He chuckled lightly.

'hmmm.' She pondered, looking over to the musket once more before giving his answer.

'Where did you learn to make that?' She pointed over to the musket, her eyes filled with curiosity.

'Oh that?' Kaluar asked with a smile.

'My father taught me, though I experimented a bit more in terms of design, haha.' He walked over to pick it up, his hands running over the intricate design feeling all of it's indents with one set stroke.

Celi looked at it in awe, the design looking way more prominent up close as she reached out to touch it for herself, her hands too gliding around it's intricate design, slowly pulling away her face still clearly amazed as she watched it.

'You can hold it if you want.' He reassured, giving it to her gently in case it fell.

Hesitantly she reached out, her tiny little fingers wrapping around the muzzle of the musket. Her eyes widened even more entranced by the level of detail on it, the iron immaculately bent and molded into shape, the steel and wood working in perfect harmony. It felt light but sturdy, the trigger stiff but not too stiff or slack. The barrel easily cupped by the palm of any size.

Curiosity held the best of her, her tiny hands moving towards the trigger, slowly rubbing her palm to it, enjoying the smooth sensation of it all. When her fingers pressed against it. She pulled back, aiming for the path ahead.

Slowly the trigger went down, her eyes closing in anticipation, yet nothing happened. She turned the musket in confusion. Checking to see where she possibly went wrong before trying again but it still wont fire.

'Hey, Kal..' She turned to her companion, who fell asleep on the grass, snoring softly, the dull blades tickling his nostrils. A small pout formed on her face before a slight chuckle, putting his musket back to the grass.

'You're hopeless' She mumbled to herself, walking over to him before nestling in his arms for warmth.

'I wonder what he's dreaming about.' she muttered, her eyes closing as they both drifted off to slumber together.

'See? Just a little more effort and...' A voice trailed off in a distance memory, a young elf watching in awe as his father's hands worked like magic. Creating something out of nothing, the beauty of creating a masterpiece with just the imagination and the know how.

'Anything can be done with just enough work.' He smiled, a warm golden gaze blessing the sight of his child, his tiny elf ears perking up, a light blush on his cheek from wonder, trying his luck against the tapestry.

His tiny little hands fumbling with the material, a look of frustration flashing his features as he continued to struggle.

'This is so hard!' He cried, tossing the thing in rage, his tiny arms crossed his chest with a huffed pout before looking at his father, his eyebrows furrowed in sorrow and a hint of jealousy. 'You make it look so easy! I'm never able to make the things you can.'

'oh Kaluar,' His father smiled, rubbing the head of his son as he picked up the materials he discarded in his fit of rage. 'We all start somewhere, no one gets better over night.'

He placed the materials in Kaluar's tiny hands once more, his eyes looking deep into his.

'Let's try this one last time.' He said.

Kaluar nodded, his father leaning over to help him, fitting the pieces together, allowing the device to work as intended. Once a metal scrap pile, now a majestic machine in the shape of a bird, moving ever so slightly before the pair.

Kaluar's eyes lit up with wonder, his hands clapping in a merry rhythm, picking up the toy bird and running with it in his hands with senseless cries of joy.

'It works! It works!' He cried, jumping all around his room in joy, the thing he worked so hard to create now working in his grasps, 'do you see father?'

'Haha, see? I told you, If you put your mind to it, anything's possible.' His father laughed, it warmed his heart to see his son indulging in his craft, getting the excitement he once felt all those years ago as a wee lad. Kaluar stopped, to his father's words, their meaning resonating deep within him, a confident smile etched upon his features. Remembering this day, up to the point he finally became, an adventurer, starting his tail from the ground up.

'Finally here!' Kaluar shouted, his feet stepping onto this uncharted land known as cobble town, a generic place, nothing really special about it. Stone paths laced the village as it coiled, houses lined up on the path up to the top of a mountain disappearing into a forest.

houses lined up against stone walls as it coiled to the top, their stone walls mixed with wooden frames keeping their structure. A calm flowing river running down right outside the village walls.

Kaluar and Celi ventured inside, their eyes panning over the calm lively village, the cries of venders filled the air as they walked through. Children playing around their parents, kicking their ball around in a merry dance of innocent joy. The clear blue sky smiling down on them as they continued their day.

'Okay, first stop, the train station!' Kaluar cheered, running ahead in a playful burst of speed. Making his way through the village, he stopped at the train station a crowd forming at the door.

'huh?' he muttered to himself, standing on his toes to make out what's above the crowd, to hopefully get a sense out of what's happening, lightly tugging the shirt of a Tengu dressed in peasant's clothing, his black feathers making his bright blue eyes even more prominent.

'Excuse me.' He called out to the Tengu.

'What's going on?' He asked the him, his eyebrows furrowing in concern as to what could possibly be wrong with the train now of all times.

'Isn't it obvious?' The Tengu huffed, his feathered arms folded as he looked towards the crowd.

'The train broke down mere moments ago, something about it being over ran by scavengers from the reaper sect.'

'Scavengers-' Kaluar murmured under his breath the name ringing a bell to him but he can't quite place his finger on it. Celi looked ahead, her eyes too filled with concern, soon panning over to a little boy around Kaluar's age, his black hair and white eyes standing out the most, an elf just like him.

He wore nothing but a white gown, a black line circling his wrist his stare unblinking never leaving them for a moment.

'H-hey Kaluar-' Celi said her voice shaking with concern as she turned to Kaluar, tug on his ear, only for the boy to be gone when she turned back to the spot he resided.

'What's wrong Celi?' He pondered, his eyes looking down at her with a look of concern before she shook her head.

'No- it's nothing.' She reassured.

'Though It's seems like the train wont be fixed for a while.'

'Yeah-' Kaluar sighed, turning around to the lively village behind them.

'Maybe we should look around, would be nice to get to see everything.' He suggested, looking at Celi for her approval, and with a slow nod from her they were off. Walking through the town of Cobble heads held high and eyes admiring the village, the buildings, the shops, the people it was all like a breath of fresh air, the air that Kaluar hoped to breath from adventuring.

'Hey, excuse me.' The voice of a concerned woman called out to them, her hands reaching out to lightly tug on his sleeve.

Kaluar turned back, curious as to what she needed her hands seemed cuffed together almost as if she were praying or nervous, Purple hair cascading down her white dress, her silver eyes taking occasional glances at our hero but seemed to fear asking for what she needed, before finally parting her lips to speak.

'you're an adventurer... aren't you?' She pondered.

'Yeah, I am, you needed something?' Kaluar asked.

The woman smiles, relief laced in her silver eyes as she spoke her piece.

'It's my daughter she's been missing for days! Can you help me find her? Please adventurer!' She pleaded. Celi looking at Kaluar with her eyebrows furrowed, the young elf looking back at her with a nod and a smile.

'Where did you last see her?' He asked.

'In vagabond forest.' She responded.

'not many people go there it's mainly used for travelers carrying goods or nomads with adventurers at their aid, It's a really dangerous place so everyone I cried to said she's already dead.' The woman's eyes begin to tear up as she remembered their harsh comments, biting her lip to calm the tears.

'But- I just can't accept that!'

Kaluar nodded at her cry for help, her desperate situation met with the kindness and warmth of an young elf's smile. She felt reassured, safe, certain that her daughter will come home unharmed.

'Don't worry miss!' Kaluar announced, his hands on his hips in a gesture of pride and reassurance.

'Your daughter will be back here safe and sound!'