As the sun rose, Celeste leapt out of bed, her heart racing with excitement. Today was the day, her first quest as an adventurer. She hurried through her morning routine, taking a quick warm shower and making sure to check her sword.

It was an ordinary blade, black hilt, simple design, but it was special to her. It was a gift from Master Kite. She could still hear his voice reminding her, “This is just a beginner's sword. One day, you'll outgrow it, and you'll need something stronger.”

She remembered the first time she'd seen Kite’s own weapon. Its sleek, black-and-gold hilt and thin, long blade radiated an immense power, but he never used it during training. Why doesn't he use it? she wondered as she ran her fingers over her own sword.

Celeste paused, looking at herself in the mirror. Crimson red hair framed her striking face, and her blue eyes sparkled in the morning light. Still hard to believe this is me, she thought, smirking. She straightened her worn-out clothes, light green tunic, dark green breeches, and a pair of scuffed leather boots. I really need new clothes, she noted. Once I start earning some money, that’ll be the first thing I buy.

Before leaving, she whispered, “Mom, I’m going on my first quest. I hope you’re watching over me.”

In the tavern below, Celeste ordered her usual breakfast, enjoying the brief moment of quiet before the day’s events unfolded. But her peace was interrupted when a fellow adventurer approached her.

“Hey, you’re the girl who fought Guild Leader Vincent yesterday, right? Hahaha! We all watched! Once you rank up, maybe we can party together!” The man grinned.

Celeste paused, gave him a polite nod, and continued eating. She wasn’t much for talking while eating,it was a sacred time for her. Luckily, the man seemed to get the hint and backed off.

At the guild, the lobby buzzed with adventurers bustling about, discussing quests and plans. Celeste headed straight for the quest board, scanning it for something suitable. Just as she found the F-rank section, four familiar faces appeared William, Bryan, Franklin, and Andrew, her teammates from yesterday.

“Celeste! You're here! We’ve been waiting for you!” William greeted her, his face beaming with excitement.

“Yeah, we were ten minutes early just to make sure we didn’t miss you,” Bryan added.

“Why are you looking at the B-rank board? The F-rank quests are over here,” Andrew pointed out with a smile.

Celeste chuckled inwardly, remembering how she’d hastily agreed to team up with them yesterday to avoid their questions about her swordsmanship. Looks like I’ll be stuck with them for this quest, she thought. She turned her attention back to the F-rank quests.

Quest 1: Gathering Herbs Any kind of herbs: healing, antibiotic, or rare mountain herbs. The guild will purchase based on quantity and quality. Reward: Variable. (Check with the herbalist for prices.)

Quest 2: Gathering Wild Mushrooms Edible mushrooms are requested by the guild chef. The reward is based on quantity and type. Reward: Variable (Prices may change by season).

Quest 3: Gathering Decorative Flowers Bright, fresh flowers requested by the guild florist. No damaged flowers allowed! Reward: Variable based on quality and freshness.

Celeste’s face tightened in frustration. Herbs, mushrooms, flowers? She grimaced. These weren’t the exciting monster hunts she had been hoping for.

“Hmm, gathering herbs sounds useful, don’t you think?” William said, thoughtfully rubbing his chin.

“Yeah, and flowers, I could bring some home to my mom,” Bryan added.

“I vote for mushrooms! Who knows, they could be worth a lot,” Franklin chimed in, mimicking the others' thoughtful poses.

Celeste tried to contain her growing irritation. Her mind flashed back to Master Kite’s teachings about patience and control. She took a deep breath. “Aren’t these quests kind of… lame? Don’t you guys want to fight monsters? Who gets excited about gathering herbs?” Her voice, though calm, held a sharp edge.

Before anyone could respond, a booming laugh erupted behind them. “Bwahahaha! Liking the newbie quests, eh? These are made just for you!” Guild Master Vincent teased as he approached, grinning mischievously.

Celeste shot him an annoyed look, and Vincent, sensing her frustration, leaned in closer. “Don’t worry, little girl. Do these five or ten times, and you might make it to E-rank!” He laughed again, clearly enjoying her reaction.

Grinding her teeth, Celeste snatched a quest paper and stormed off, the boys trailing behind her. As they left the guild, Vincent’s voice echoed, “Enjoy picking those flowers, newbies! Bwahahahaha!”

Celeste clenched her fists, fighting the urge to turn around and give him a piece of her mind. I swear, one day I’ll—

But before she could finish that thought, the sound of Vincent’s roaring laughter burst through the air again,

“BWAHAHAHAHA! ARE YOU READY TO BE SACRIFICED, LITTLE LAMBS?! LET’S SEE HOW LONG YOU LAST BEFORE YOU CRY FOR YOUR MAMAS! BWAHAHAHA!”

Celeste stopped in her tracks, unable to suppress a smirk despite herself. It was clear Vincent was having way too much fun scaring the new recruits.

The boys noticed too. Franklin turned to her, grinning. “Looks like Guild Master Vincent’s in his element again.”

“Yeah, seems like he lives for this stuff,” Bryan chuckled, watching as Vincent waved his arms dramatically, barking more orders at the nervous group.

Celeste shook her head, amused. At least I’m not the only one dealing with his nonsense.

Once outside, she opened the quest paper. “It’s an herb-gathering quest. Do any of you know where to find herbs around here?” she asked.

“There’s a good spot in the plains north of town,” Franklin suggested.

“Yeah, and after that, we can check the western forest. I heard there’s plenty growing there too,” Bryan added.

“Fine. Let’s go,” Celeste said, resigning herself to the task ahead. I guess I’m the leader now…

With that, they set off toward the north gate, where Celeste couldn’t help but notice Commander Vonavick and his fleet stationed nearby. Please don’t bother us, she prayed silently. She also couldn’t shake the thought of Sergeant Major Raynor from her mind.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Why is he still stuck in my head? Ugh…

As they passed through the gate and into the plains, Celeste felt the boredom creep in. Five more gathering quests before I rank up? She sighed.

“Ugh, well, I guess I have no choice but to do these quests. If I think about it, gathering isn’t that bad. I might learn something about the area outside Willowshade... and at least I have a party now,” Celeste muttered, trying to justify the situation as the group passed through the gates.

The five adventurers started their trek toward the plains and mountains beyond the town. As they walked, a gentle breeze caressed their skin, carrying the fresh scent of grass. The silence of nature, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves, created an almost tranquil atmosphere.

Celeste’s initial frustration was momentarily forgotten as the beauty of the surroundings struck her. "Wow," she thought, her eyes widening. Ahead, the plains stretched endlessly, full of vibrant wildflowers and herbs. Beyond that lay a lush forest, with a towering, wide mountain in the distance. It was the kind of scenery that made her heart ache a little, reminding her of things she'd never taken the time to appreciate.

William, ever the pragmatic one, tapped his bag. “Alright, we can start gathering here. If you’re not sure about what herb you’re picking, just ask me. I’ve got the guidebook right here.” He patted his satchel with a confident grin.

“We should split up, but not too far. We’ll need each other if something comes up,” Bryan added, casting a quick glance around, as if half-expecting danger at any moment.

But Celeste wasn’t really paying attention to them anymore. She was mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the scene in front of her. She sat down on the soft grass, allowing herself to get lost in her thoughts. “In my previous life,” she mused, “I didn’t appreciate moments like this. I would’ve just snapped a photo, not even pausing to take it in. But now... now I just want to live in the moment. Let my mind capture every detail.”

She sighed softly, closing her eyes. "I wish my mom was here to see this..." Her heart ached with the thought, but the sadness was tempered by the peace she felt in the present.

“HEY! That’s not a mountain herb! That’s just a wild plant!” William’s annoyed voice jolted her back to reality.

“What do you mean? Take a look at this!” Bryan fired back, holding a big book and pointing to the grass he was clutching.

Shaking off her distraction, Celeste smiled faintly. “Well, I just need to endure this... finish gathering these herbs and rank up. Afterward, I’ll need to visit the guild’s library and research the surrounding area. Maybe I’ll even find some ancient runes belonging to the Luminous Oath.”

As time passed and the group continued their quest, conversation flowed naturally between the five companions. At one point, William struck up a conversation, walking beside Celeste. “You know,” he started, “the reason I learned swordsmanship instead of sticking solely to magic was because of my father. But honestly? I’m not great with earth-based magic, even though I’m supposed to specialize in it. I get dizzy, and it feels like the ground is spinning when I shake it with my skills.” He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

Celeste raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Your father was a guard in the royal court, right? If you’re not comfortable fighting in the frontlines, why don’t you just tell him you’d prefer staying in the back? And besides... what’s the real difference between an elemental swordsman and a regular mage? Swordsmen wield swords, and mages have their staffs, right?”

William straightened his posture, clearly excited to explain. He cleared his throat dramatically and began, hand under his chin in thought. “An elemental swordsman is a warrior who channels elemental power fire, air, or earth through their swordsmanship. Our physical combat is enhanced by magic, making our strikes more precise, more powerful. We can create defensive barriers or strike with both physical and magical force.” He glanced at her, making sure she was following.

“On the other hand, an elemental mage is a pure spellcaster. Mages manipulate the forces of nature attacking from a distance, controlling the battlefield. They don’t rely on physical prowess, but on intelligence and magical energy. Their strength is in their spells, while swordsmen blend magic with physical combat.”

Before Celeste could respond, Bryan chimed in with a laugh. “That’s our top student in the academy, William of the Harken family, showing off again!” He gave William a friendly nudge.

Celeste, thinking back to her master, Kite, nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that makes sense. Master Kite always told me, ‘Take out the mage first they can do too much damage from afar.’”

William cleared his throat again, clearly trying to brush off the praise, but a faint blush touched his cheeks. “Well, yeah, that’s true. In theory, if you’re not physically gifted, you can focus on being a mage. But nowadays, everyone’s choosing to be an elemental swordsman and join the Obsidian Order.”

“Obsidian Order? What’s that?” Celeste’s curiosity piqued.

William’s eyes lit up. “It’s the most prestigious military order in the empire! But first, you have to go through training at the Stormspire Citadel. Every young talent can enroll—if you’ve got the skill and the gold. We’re working on ranking up to E-Rank before we can return to the academy as Silver Wardens. That’s our goal.”

Celeste blinked, feeling a little lost in all the new information. “What? I’m sorry, I don’t really get what you’re talking about...”

William smiled, clearly enjoying this. “Let me break it down: Right now, we’re Iron Initiates. That means we’ve already chosen our element and are training in our specializations. After we rank up to Silver Wardens, we can join the Obsidian Order.”

“And after that? What ranks are there?”

William’s voice filled with pride. “After Silver Warden, the next rank is Golden Sentinel. Golden Sentinels often lead squads or become instructors at the academy. But at the top, there are the Argent Knights. Only a handful—maybe 10 or 20—reach that rank. The emperor himself gives you that title. Argent Knights are the best of the best.”

“Wow,” Celeste whispered, genuinely impressed. “So what kind of power do Argent Knights have?”

William smiled, his mind flashing to a particular figure. “Sergeant Major Raynor the Thunder Knight was an Argent Knight once. He’s one of the strongest there ever was. They say he can take out entire armies with one strike of his lightning blade.”

“Not just armies!” Franklin added, excitedly. “He wiped out an entire fleet of northern invaders single-handedly!”

Celeste’s mind whirled at the idea of such immense power. “Really? That strong...?”

Bryan quickly jumped in. “And remember, Celeste, Sergeant Major Raynor seemed pretty interested in your skills. If he invites you to train under him, you could become an instant Silver Warden!”

The thought of such recognition stirred something in Celeste, but she quickly pushed it aside. "I’ve already got my own path," she thought, remembering her ties to the Luminous Oath and Master Kite’s teachings. Joining a military academy wasn’t part of her plan. She had a deeper purpose, one that didn’t involve becoming someone else’s apprentice.

With a shrug, she redirected the conversation. “Well, right now, let’s focus on finishing these herb-gathering quests before it gets too late.”

The boys nodded, snapping back to the present. “Yeah, we’ve gathered enough. Let’s head back to the guild,” William said, stretching his arms.

They gathered their bags and began their walk back, crossing the hills and heading toward a lush forest. The light was beginning to fade as they entered the woods, shadows stretching long across the ground.

Bryan glanced around, suddenly wary. “Hey, William, are you sure this is the way back?”

“Yeah, it’s a shortcut. Trust me,” William said confidently, though Celeste wasn’t so sure.

“Check the map, guys,” Celeste suggested. “If it really is a shortcut, we might get back to the guild early. But if not, we don’t want to get lost out here.”

Bryan’s voice grew tense. “Even if it is a shortcut, we could stumble upon corrupted creatures. You saw the warning at the gates there was a dungeon break near here last month.”

“It’s risky,” Bryan finished. “We could be in real danger.”

Celeste thought about it, her mind weighing the risks. “If we see a creature out here, it could be bad... I could handle it alone, maybe, but with the boys... it’s better we take the long way. We’re not in the best shape after yesterday’s training session with Guild master Vincent.”

William sighed but eventually nodded, conceding to the logic. “Alright, fine. Let’s head back the long way then.”

Just as they turned to head back, a sudden rustling in the grass made them freeze. From the forest, something fast was approaching too fast. Celeste felt it before she saw it, instinctively drawing her sword just in time to block the incoming attack.

Clang! Metal met bone as Celeste held her ground. The force of the blow pushed her back a step, but she held firm. The creature, small and hunched, leaped away, its blood-red eyes gleaming with malice.

its gray skin slick with sweat and saliva dripping from its open mouth, revealing jagged, sharp teeth. Standing only four feet tall, its humanoid form was grotesque, with long claws twitching as it eyed its prey.

“It’s an imp!” Bryan shouted. “Andrew, Franklin, help Celeste!”

William strapped on his shield, shouting back, “I’ll cast a Quake spell! If we can disrupt its footing, we can take it down before it strikes again!”

Celeste focused, her breathing steadying as she held her sword tightly. The imp grinned, its claws dripping with what could only be blood. It crouched low, preparing to lunge again.

But Celeste was ready.

Her expression remained calm as she watched its movements, waiting for William to finish his spell. This time, she wouldn’t just defend she’d strike.