Kaiden sat at the table in his room, feeling restless as the days passed since the proclamation ritual. It had been nearly four days since the announcement, and there was still no sign of the next celestial warrior. Frustration began to creep in every day, gnawing at Kaiden's patience as the wait continued.

As the days went by, Wulfric had been diligently working with the guard, occasionally pausing to assist Kaiden with sword training. Loden, on the other hand, had remained a constant presence by Kaiden's side, making it feel as if they were on the road again yet were now stationed in one place.

Loden had picked up the mantle of main sword trainer/opponent, introducing new techniques and maneuvers to address diverse fighting scenarios. Despite his initial lack of skill, Kaiden displayed determination and persistence, diligently working on refining his combat abilities with each passing day.

Kaiden cast a sidelong glance at Loden, who sat across the table within his chambers, continuing to eat. Kaiden's expression turned to one of boredom, the routine that had settled upon them feeling monotonous and tiresome. His gaze wandered around his room, searching for something to alleviate the tedium.

Kaiden's gaze shifted to the garment from the proclamation hanging on the partition, stirring recollections of that fateful day only a few days back. The memories flooded back - the arrival of Astryaln through the messenger wolf, Carwyn's unexpected attack, the relief of finding Rhoesida unharmed, and the revelation about his aunt Molly. A sigh slipped from Kaiden's lips, a mixture of emotions welling up inside him.

Loden's voice cut through Kaiden's thoughts, his question breaking the silence. "What's got you sighing now?" he inquired. "Are you still feeling bored? I recall you sighing for the same reason yesterday." Loden placed his utensils down on his tray and turned his full attention to Kaiden, awaiting his response.

Kaiden shook his head, his weary smile directed at Loden. "Sorry," he apologized, his voice tinged with frustration. "I just thought we would have met the new warrior by now and already be on the move. The faster we locate the others, the sooner we can..." He trailed off, his disappointment palpable.

Loden responded with a gentle headshake, a hint of patience in his voice. "You've been saying the same thing over and over for the past three days. It's going to take time. We're not actively searching the streets for them, so it won't be an immediate process. They'll reach out to the palace in due time."

Kaiden sighed, his frustration seeping through his words. "I'm sorry. Being trapped in the palace is driving me crazy. Wulfric won’t let us leave, I mean, won’t let me leave the grounds. All I've been doing lately is eating, sleeping, and training. I just want to do more, to feel productive and active...something, anything."

Loden nods in understanding. "I get it," he responds. "It can be pretty boring being confined to the palace all the time. And Wulfric's insistence on us staying within the grounds doesn't make things any easier. I've been feeling the same way – everything repeating. It's natural to want more excitement."

Kaiden shook his head once again, a tinge of frustration in his voice, "What I'm really yearning for is a change, not excitement. I just want the freedom to do what I truly want to do. You've been able to leave the palace grounds recently, while I'm still stuck here. It's not about switching up my training partners, targets, or weapons. I crave the autonomy to choose my own path."

Loden leaned back in his chair, understanding etched on his face. "I get it, it's tough being cooped up in here. But Wulfric is just trying to keep you safe," he replied. "And let's be honest, you need the training. But if it's driving you crazy, how about we mix things up a bit?"

Kaiden raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Loden's suggestion. "What do you mean by 'mix things up'?" he asked, his interest piqued.

Loden rose from his seat, stretching his limbs as he stood. "It's simple," he began nonchalantly. "You're bored, and I am too. We have the scrolls to search for the warriors, so why don't we use them to venture out into the city and enjoy some fresh air?"

Kaiden perked up at Loden's suggestion. "You mean, we could actually explore the city and search for the warriors ourselves?" he asked, a spark of excitement in his eyes.

Kaiden's eyes dimmed with a glimmer of dread. "Search the city? Isn't that against Wulfric's orders though?" he asked, a mix of anticipation and caution in his voice.

Loden shrugged off Kaiden's concern with a confident smile. "Oh, you know Wulfric," he replied flippantly. "He's a bit too protective sometimes. But we won't just be aimlessly wandering around. We'll be following the scrolls, searching for clues, and getting some much-needed fresh air. Consider it a productive break from the routine."

Kaiden shakes his head, remembering the scrolls and getting up from the table to retrieve them. He had placed the scrolls in a pouch to go with his traveling clothes once the time came to leave the palace. He returns to Loden and opens the pouch to reveal the scrolls.

"Here they are, but I don’t think they will be much help in the city. It gives a general location, not an exact location.” Kaiden says, handing them to Loden.

Loden's face lit up with excitement as he unrolled the scrolls, his eyes scanning the contents intently. "Impressive," he remarked, his voice filled with admiration. "So these are the scrolls Wulfric spoke of, the ones containing the locations of the warriors, right?"

Kaiden nodded, his expression turning disappointed. "Yes, but there's a problem like I said," he explained. "The scrolls don’t provide an exact address or landmark. Instead, they just give a 'general location,' which isn't very precise."

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Loden nodded in agreement as he pointed to the one of the scrolls. "Wulfric mentioned that the name of the warrior would be revealed once we find them, right?" he stated. He pointed to the other scroll. "As for this map, it's a bit vague, but the symbol on it shows that the new warrior is located near the top of the city. That means we should start the search there."

Kaiden grins, his excitement palpable. "Great job, Loden!" he exclaims. "I didn’t catch that the last time I looked at the map. Let's get moving before Wulfric finds out what we're up to."

Loden grins, Kaiden's excitement contagious. "We should make the most of our freedom before Wulfric discovers we're out and about," he says, matching Kaiden's eagerness.

"Let's start by heading towards the top of the city. We might just run into the new warrior on the way. Grab some essentials, and let's go.”

Kaiden grabbed the scrolls, gently placing them back into the pouch and securing it safely inside a side bag. He then picked up his sword, which was resting against the side of his bed, and methodically buckled it to his belt. Kaiden turned to face the mirror hanging on his wall, taking a moment to examine his appearance.

As Kaiden gazes at his reflection in the mirror, he takes a moment to appreciate his appearance. The sunlight streamed through the windows, casting soft shadows across his features. His hand unconsciously reached up to gently brush his blonde hair back into place, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Kaiden was wearing a simple yet practical outfit of brown loose-fitting linen pants, which were secured at the waist with a wide leather belt. His upper body was covered by a short-sleeved cotton shirt, the fabric soft and supple against his skin. Over this, he wore a loose light blue overshirt, made of a lightweight material that allowed for easy movement. The overall effect was one of both comfort and practicality, something ideal that Kaiden has come to appreciate. With a sigh, he turned away from the mirror, his thoughts returning to the task at hand.

Loden, stood off in the corner observing Kaiden, couldn't help but notice the slight hesitation in Kaiden's movements when he looked at the mirror. "You know," he commented, a hint of amusement in his voice, "it may be best to cover your hair or conceal your face so we don't draw too much attention once we leave the palace."

Kaiden chuckled softly, his gaze turning back to his reflection in the mirror. "You're right," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I hadn't considered the possibility of drawing attention once we leave the palace."

He paused, mulling over Loden's suggestion for a moment. "Cover my hair, eh? Any suggestions on how we do that?"

Loden thought for a moment, contemplating the best way to conceal Kaiden's distinctive hair color. "Hmm, I suppose we could use a hood, or maybe a scarf to wrap around your head," he suggested, his gaze wandering across the room as if searching for something to use. "It won't completely hide your identity, but it should at least make it a bit harder for people to recognize you at a glance."

Kaiden shook his head, his thoughts focused on the matter at hand. "Yeah, a hood or scarf might do the trick, but they're too obvious and can easily be pulled off. I need something more substantial.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair, visibly frustrated. “Hmm, a wig or dye would be great, but where would we find something like that in this world?" Kaiden's tone betrayed a hint of disappointment. Kaiden continued to run his hand through his hair, frustration evident on his face as he looked at his reflection.

Loden turned away from Kaiden and looked around the room again, his gaze falling on a small bowl tucked away in the corner. "Wait," he said, suddenly excited, "I think I have an idea." He walked over to the small bowl tucked away in the corner of the room on Kaiden’s dresser, Kaiden's blue eyes following his every move. "This might work," Loden added, reaching into the bowl and pulling out a few objects placing them on the dresser. Kaiden followed his friend's movements, his expression one of intrigue mixed with a hint of skepticism.

Kaiden raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued at Loden's sudden outburst and the gleam in his eyes. "An idea, you say?" he repeated, his voice tinged with a hint of intrigue. "Do tell, what plan have you concocted in that scheming mind of yours? I hope it doesn't involve me looking like a girl or something."

Loden chuckled at Kaiden's cluelessness, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "No, no, i wasn’t thinking of that but that would look interesting," he explained, still grinning. Kaiden's frown deepened as Loden's suggestion of making him look like a female was met with laughter. "I was thinking of something simpler," Loden continued, his tone amused. "Why not just darken your hair instead? It would be much easier and less noticeable if we just make your hair a darker color."

Kaiden grumbled at Loden's suggestion, clearly unimpressed with the idea of having longer hair and looking like a girl. "No way," he muttered, a mix of frustration and annoyance in his voice. "I'm not looking like a girl."

But when Loden mentioned darkening his hair, Kaiden's frowns gave way to surprise. "Darkening my hair?" he repeated, his interest piqued. "How would we do that?"

Loden's face turned serious, realizing that his flippant suggestion had missed the mark. "I apologize, that was a poor joke," he said sincerely. "But back to your predicament, darkening your hair could be a viable option. If done right, it could significantly alter your appearance and make it harder for people to recognize you. And lucky for us, there just might be a solution closer than you think."

Kaiden folded his arms, still not quite convinced. "How do we darken my hair? It's not like we have access to hair dye. And I highly doubt you have any magical hair-darkening powers up your sleeve..."

Loden's expression was a mix of amusement and confidence. "Oh, don't worry," he reassured Kaiden. "I have a solution. We can use a simple mix of natural ingredients to darken your hair. Trust me, it's easier than you think."

Kaiden's frown deepened, skepticism still evident in his voice. "Natural ingredients, you say? And why should I trust you on this?"

Loden chuckled again, finding Kaiden's cluelessness amusing once again. "Relax," he teased. "We don't need this thing called hair dye. There are natural ways to darken your hair without any chemicals. One option is to use something like black tea or brewed coffee, which can darken your hair temporarily. Or we could mix some henna paste, which is a natural dye made from plants, and apply it to your hair for a more permanent coloring."

Loden watches Kaiden's reaction, noticing his skepticism and frustration with the suggestion. He could sense that Kaiden wasn't convinced. "Hey, don't dismiss my idea just yet," Loden says, his tone reassuring. "We can give it a try, see how it turns out. What do you have to lose?"

Kaiden turns away from the mirror, standing beside his bed, his expression doubtful. Perhaps he was considering if it would be best just to stay in his room and let Loden venture out on his own.

Before Kaiden can voice his response, he feels an odd sense of unease creeping over him, as if something was off. He glances at Loden, the smirk on his face only heightening his feeling of discomfort.

"I don't like this," Kaiden thinks to himself, his eyes narrowing. "What is he up to...?"

Loden notices the change in Kaiden's demeanor, the way his skin seemed to crawl and his expression shifting. He couldn't help but chuckle quietly to himself, sensing Kaiden's unease.