Aria glanced at the digital display on her sleek wristwatch, the neon numbers showing that it was nearly time for her meeting with Tian. She pushed a strand of her wavy chestnut hair behind her ear, her green eyes scanning the crowd as she hurried through the bustling streets. A soft vibration notified her of a message from Tian, but before she could check it, she bumped into a passerby. The sudden contact jolted her attention towards the man she collided with.
He was tall, with broad shoulders and a stern, yet handsome face. His dark eyes met hers briefly, a shadow of annoyance crossing his features before he composed himself. His short, jet-black hair was neatly combed back, revealing a forehead marked with a couple of battle scars. What caught her attention the most was the emblem on his arm - a majestic, fiery phoenix encircled by a ring of thorns, the symbol of Warlords, a guild known for its formidable rankers. The emblem was embroidered on a sleek black armband, which contrasted sharply against his white, long-sleeved shirt.
Although she didn’t personally care for the sports side of rankers, she did understand that others did. Aria just felt like there were more pressing matters than entertainment, like the monsters escaping the portals quite often as well as the living spaces commonly destroyed during a portal break.
He muttered a quick apology, his voice deep and resonant, before swiftly maneuvering through the crowd, disappearing from her sight almost as quickly as he had appeared. Aria shook off the brief encounter and darted through the swarm of people, her heart fluttering with a mix of anxiety and anticipation.
She finally managed to send a quick message to Tian, informing him that she might be a few minutes late, though her fingers danced nervously on the screen. Despite having conversed with him recently, the eagerness to meet him in person had her heart racing.
As she reached the quaint little cafe, a wave of anxiety washed over her when she didn't spot Tian right away. However, a sigh of relief escaped her lips as she noticed him approaching a table to the side with two drinks in hand. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in his appearance; he looked somewhat different.
Tian was of average height with a lean, well-defined physique that suggested a disciplined regimen of physical training. His hair was a deep black, cropped short, and neatly combed, allowing a clear view of his sharp, thoughtful eyes. Today, they sparkled with a certain determination she hadn't noticed before.
His skin was a warm tan, with a smooth complexion save for a few faint scars. He wore a simple, fitted grey t-shirt, paired with black jeans. The casual attire did little to hide his toned body, hinting at strength honed over many battles. He seemed more confident, his movements fluid and sure.
As she approached, she noticed a soft smile playing on his lips, replacing the usually stoic expression she was accustomed to. It made him appear more approachable, more... alive.
"Hey, Aria," Tian greeted warmly as she reached the table, his eyes meeting hers with a newfound light in them.
She greeted him with a warm hug, and they settled down, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloping them. There was an air of assurance about him, a serene composure that seemed to have replaced the slightly reserved demeanor she remembered. Aria couldn’t help but jump right into the heart of the matter, her concern evident in her eyes. “So, what exactly happened yesterday, Tian?”
Tian’s eyes seemed to cloud over for a moment. He sighed softly, “Well…” His gaze shifted away from her, landing on the passing clouds outside the window. “I got lost on my way home and my phone died. Haha, that’s all,” he said, his attempt at light-heartedness failing to mask the undertone of unease. Aria knew him well enough to catch the fleeting glimpse of worry in his eyes. She wanted to press further but chose to hold back. There was a time for everything, and right now, she just wanted to enjoy the peaceful moments they had together.
Their conversation flowed effortlessly, moving from one topic to another. But before she knew it, Tian was on his feet, excusing himself as something urgent seemed to have come up. Aria pouted slightly; she had hoped for more time to chat. As she watched him leave, she sighed and checked the time on her phone. Her wallpaper caught her eye – a man adorned with an array of weapons, the infamous 'Weapon Master' from the Wayfarer guild, a silhouette that once was the man that was previously sitting before her.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
‘He looks the same now.’ Aria smiled to herself; it seemed Tian had recovered fine. Although she wished he would tell her where he was yesterday.
----------------------------------------
Upon stepping out of the cozy ambiance of the café, the bustling city vibes encased Tian once more. He meandered through the crowd, his thoughts entangled with the recent happenings. He had wanted to share his reawakening with Aria, a piece of joy amidst the chaos, yet the lurking danger it presented to her was a risk he couldn't afford to take.
His wristwatch had vibrated subtly, alerting him of a newly opened portal nearby. This notification was the reason for his abrupt departure. Being unregistered as a ranker meant he had no legal rights to enter portals, a privilege reserved for guild-affiliated rankers. Tian had devised a workaround; to sneak into portals before they were claimed by guilds. It was a risky endeavor, but it was his only way to grasp fragments of his former strength.
Whenever a portal appeared it was considered government property because of a law that was created when they first started appearing around a decade ago. However, even with the government’s resources they were not able to successfully clear every portal that appeared given their alarming rate at the beginning of the chaos.
To combat this, they began auctioning off portals to guilds of rankers that were willing to venture inside and clear the portal in their stead. Now it was simply common practice, that when a portal opened the government would lock down the area and then for the first live hour, they would auction off the portal, this was such a normal practice that many guilds hired someone if not teams of people to simply participate in these auctions to acquire portals for those guilds. It was actually a job in the Wayfarer guild before he had before he had awakened.
His pace quickened as thoughts of Wayfarer Guild played on a loop in his mind. The betrayal, the S rank artifact that stole his class, all concocted to reduce him to nothingness. They had viewed him as nothing more than livestock, prepped for slaughter at a time of their choosing. It was a painful truth, one that fueled the thoughts of vengeance within him. Yet he knew, with the might of Wayfarer Guild itself, being the 2nd highest ranked guild in their country as well as the 8th highest ranked guild in the world, revenge was a distant dream. His immediate reality required him to be stronger, much stronger.
With a resolute mind, he veered towards the coordinates of the portal. The familiar scene of officers barricading the vicinity greeted him. The well-coordinated movement of blockades to redirect foot traffic was a sight he was accustomed to. As he evaluated the portal from a safe distance, its color and pressure hinted at it being an E rank. A slight relief washed over him; no government rankers would be dispatched for such a portal. His heart, however, skipped a beat as he recognized a few officers from yesterday's encounter. Their stern faces were etched in his memory, a reminder of his newfound reality as an unregistered ranker.
He maneuvered carefully through the crowd, ensuring his face was concealed from the watchful eyes of the law. His mind raced with the legality of his actions. This was his second time attempting to enter a portal illegally. The stakes were high, but so was the reward. He needed the resources these portals offered to rebuild his strength, to rekindle his status as a formidable ranker once more.
As he nestled himself in a hidden vantage point, waiting for the opportune moment to slip into the portal undetected. Tian's eyes darted meticulously across the scene, gauging the patterns of the officers' movements, and the oscillating crowd. As the minutes ticked away, the rhythm of the city seemed to synchronize with his pounding heart, each beat a countdown to the leap he was about to take.
His opportunity came as a pair of officers got distracted by a commotion in the crowd. With practiced agility, Tian dashed towards the portal, his body moved with a choreographed precision, a shadow darting through the dimly lit area, and in a breath, he was through the portal, leaving the chaotic world behind.
The transition was almost seamless, yet the difference in the atmosphere was stark. The air inside the portal was denser, laden with a blend of earth and the unknown. He found himself in a serene forest clearing, the calmness was a stark contrast to the frenzied world he had just left. The full moon cast a gentle glow over the area, revealing the quaint beauty of the moonlit forest.
As Tian took a moment to gather his bearings, the cool night air felt refreshing against his skin. He scanned the quiet forest clearing under the soft glow of the moon, the calmness around him was a stark change from the city he had just left. As he stretched his muscles, getting a feel for the environment, a faint howl echoed through the trees from a distance.