As we walked through the city, Felix led us toward a group of adventurers on the sidewalk. They were huddled together in the middle of a conversation.

“Just as a warning, my team isn't very welcoming," Felix warned as we crossed the street. "Please try not to be offended. It simply takes them a while to trust new faces. Once they do, I assure you’ll find they're quite likable.”

“I see...”

“Good... Also, don’t take anything they say personally.”

I nodded, taking a deep breath as I prepared myself for the moment of judgment.

“Lads! Gather ’round!” Felix’s voice cut through the morning mist.

The group of adventurers turned, their gazes falling on me.

“This here,” Felix pointed a finger in my direction, “is our sixth member. The one we’ve been eagerly awaiting.”

A tall lizard man with blue scales, stepped forward, his reptilian eyes narrowing as he studied me. “Well, well, look who finally decided to join us. Care to share your name, stranger?”

Judging from his demeanor, I deduced he was the second in command after Felix. As he waited for my response, my gaze drifted to the sword strapped to his back. It was undoubtedly one of the largest swords I had ever laid eyes upon.

“My name is Vick, nice to meet you,” I replied after a moment.

“Vick, huh? That’s a pretty strange name for a dwarf... What’s with the mask?”

I took a step back and noticed an elf girl standing a couple of feet behind the lizard man. With a curious glint in her eyes, her light brown hair cascaded around her delicate features as she walked to the front of the group.

“So, Vick, are you going to tell us what your deal is?”

What my deal is... What the hell is wrong with this girl?!

"What's the deal with your hair?" I snapped back.

"What did you just say?!"

"I asked about your hair," I replied firmly, crossing my arms. "I don’t think I’ve ever seen an elf with dark hair."

The girl’s eyes widened in anger but just as she opened her mouth, she was cut off by the lizard man.

“That’s enough Violet, let’s not get into a fight in the middle of the street.”

Ah, so her name is Violet...

“Okay, fine! I’ll do my very best to keep my thoughts to myself,” Violet said, the sarcasm in her voice more than evident.

“Thank you,” the lizard man said, turning his attention back to me. “I apologize for Violet, she likes to push people’s buttons sometimes.”

“It’s all good. No harm done.”

“That’s good to hear. Now let me introduce myself; my name is Soren and I’m the second in command. I also happen to be one of the two tanks in our party.”

“I’m guessing he’s the second tank?” I asked, nodding at the gorilla man who stood behind the group. Despite being at the back, his frame and presence were overwhelming. It was hard not to notice him.

“Good guess, Vick! That’s our main tank. His name is Pascal.”

“Nice to meet you, Pascal.”

The gorilla man offered me a courteous nod but remained quiet.

Felix let out a chuckle. “Pascal isn’t much of a talker. I’ve known him for three years and I’ve only heard his voice a handful of times.”

“I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve heard him speak plenty of times,” Violet interjected. “Just get him drunk, and I guarantee he’ll start talking.”

Soren rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “I disagree... I’ve seen Pascal drunk twice, and the only words that come out of his mouth are more drinks.”

The rest of the team exchanged knowing glances before erupting into laughter. Even Pascal, who wore a stoic expression, couldn’t resist cracking a faint smile.

A small smile graced my lips as I watched their laughter resonate through the air. The camaraderie and connection they shared was evident. There was no doubt in my mind they'd known each other for years.

A pang of sadness tinged my heart as old memories crept their way into my thoughts. There was a time when I, too, had been part of a team. No, even more than that, a family. Just like these adventurers, we had been inseparable.

Unfortunately, fate dealt them a cruel hand. They had all died during the war. In the end, the last friend I thought I had, stabbed me in the back the first chance he got.

“I think you’ll fit in just fine,” William whispered, his voice snapping me back to the present.

"You think?" I asked.

William smiled. “I'm confident you'll get along with them. Especially Felix... While he might not look the part, he’s a good leader.”

I looked up at the guild master and shrugged. “I guess only time will tell.”

“They’re good folks, Vick. I give you my word.”

“I'm guessing you've known them for a while?”

“Yes, I have," William replied. "In fact, Felix and I come from the same clan. Once upon a time, he was my teacher. Isn’t that right, Felix?”

“Sorry, I missed that. What did you say?” Felix asked, his eyes still teary from laughing.

“I was telling Vick that you were once my teacher.”

“Ah, yes! I mean no! Er- I mean yes. Bloody hell! You’re making me feel old.”

“What clan were you guys from?” I asked, feeling curious all of a sudden.

Felix raised a brow, nodding toward William. “I’ll let redhead over here spill the beans.”

“Why do you always make me do the talking?”

“Because you’re the better storyteller.”

“Suit yourself,” William sighed, rolling his eyes. “Long story short, Felix and I, were once members of the largest werewolf clan in Everlorn.”

“No way!” Violet exclaimed, her gaze zeroing in on Felix. “How come you never told me you were a Silverclaw?”

Felix shrugged. “You never asked.”

“Wait, hold up,” I said, cutting into the conversation. “You guys are werewolves!?”

William and Felix exchanged glances before turning their gazes on me.

“I thought you knew?” William asked. “Perhaps, did you think I was something else?”

I’m a moron...

A wave of disappointment washed over me, causing me to instinctively bury my head in my hands. How could it be that in the three days I had spent in Elysium, not once had I pondered the nature of William’s beast lineage?

With each passing thought, I felt a deepening sense of foolishness settle in.

“In all honesty, I don’t even know,” I answered, shrugging apologetically.

William chuckled. “Don't fret... I forgive you for not being interested in me.”

Feeling a sudden discomfort, I looked around and noticed Violet throwing daggers at me with her eyes. What was her deal? Was she angry at me? Did I do something to piss her off?

“Sorry for taking so long,” I heard someone say from behind. “I bought us some snacks.”

Following the voice, I spotted an elf man approaching. His dark hair was pulled into a ponytail and his blue eyes were captivating.

It didn't take me long to notice the resemblance between him and Violet. They were clearly related.

“What did you bring?” Violet asked. The anger in her eyes from seconds ago seemed to have vanished.

“I got us cookies, chips, and of course, some lollipops.”

Soren sighed, shaking his head. “What’s with you and lollipops? You always bring some wherever we go.”

“What can I say?" Elandril grinned. "I love to get a sugar rush.”

When Elandril's eyes fell on William, his demeanor turned a little more serious. “What brings you here, Guild Master?”

William cleared his throat, gesturing in my direction. “Elandril, I’d like to introduce you to the newest member of your team. This is Vick.”

Elandril turned to me, his lips curling into a smile. “Pleasure to meet you, mate.”

“Same here,” I replied as I shook his hand.

“I don’t know if you've noticed, but Elandril and Violet are siblings,” Felix revealed, chiming into the conversation. “They’re twins.”

“Oh, that's nice!”

As I glanced at Elandril, I couldn’t help but notice the stark contrast between him and Violet. While she seemed to exude an air of rebelliousness and a perpetual readiness for confrontation, Elandril's demeanor was calm and collected. It was a fascinating juxtaposition. I silently wondered how two siblings could be so similar and yet so different.

“Well, I think it’s time we hit the road,” Felix announced. The rest of the team, including myself, nodded in agreement.

“I wish you guys the best of luck,” William said, his voice filled with a mix of hope and anticipation.

“We don’t need your luck,” Felix chuckled as he hopped onto his horse. “If you pay me an extra ten thousand moonstones, I promise that’s all the luck I’ll need.”

"Keep dreaming..." William snorted.

Even though it was still early, the city was starting to come alive with the sounds of merchants setting up their stalls and locals starting their day. If we didn't leave soon, we'd be caught in traffic.

It took roughly around twenty-five minutes to reach the northern bridge and exit the city. As we rode north, the pace of our horses quickened, their powerful strides devouring the distance with a harmonious rhythm.

Since this was my first day with them, I chose to stay quiet and observe the team’s dynamic reveal itself. I wanted to get a read on the team before I decided to interact.

It didn't take me long to learn that Elandril and Soren were the most talkative of the group. Their playful debates about food and wine brought moments of lightness. Sometimes, their conversations veered into lively debates about politics, often prompting Felix to interject with his usual assertion that all politicians are corrupt.

Violet, on the other hand, remained enigmatic and distant, occasionally casting cold glances in my direction. For some reason, she seemed angry with me. While her unspoken hostility puzzled me at first, I eventually got used to it and ignored it.

While some stuff was easy to ignore, other things weren’t so easy to put aside.

Something had been bothering me for the last couple of days. It was the lack of information... I didn't like how little information we had.

In my past life, I had led numerous armies to victory, relying heavily on knowledge and scouting. This mission was different. We were venturing into a fight without any real understanding of our enemy. To put it simply, we were going in blind.

Despite the looming perils, a surge of newfound confidence coursed through me. The two days of intense training had paid off, boosting my magical capacity by a whopping twenty percent. I could now conjure a barrier, the size of a small bedroom. Though it didn’t seem like much, it was a drastic improvement from where I’d been a week ago.

As we reached the forest of Verdantia, the canopy of trees grew thicker, casting a dim shadow over us. The rhythmic sound of hoofbeats gradually subsided as Felix ordered us to stop.

With a firm command, he dismounted from his horse, and we followed suit.

“We’ll be proceeding on foot through the forest,” Felix declared, his voice laced with caution. “It’s better to avoid any potential traps that might have been hidden.”

Traps? Why would there be traps in a forest?

“What does Felix mean by ‘traps’?” I asked Violet, hoping for a clear explanation.

Violet’s eyes rolled in annoyance, but she begrudgingly responded, her voice tinged with irritation. “Bandits are known to lurk in these woods. They set traps to ambush unsuspecting travelers and steal their valuables.”

I nodded, realizing there was more to Felix than met the eye. His decision to tread cautiously showcased his experience. I turned my attention to Violet once more, eager to gauge the situation.

“Do you think we’ll encounter any bandits?”

This time, it was Elandril who interjected, his voice tinged with a hint of resignation. “It’s only a matter of time before we come across them. These woods are infamous for such encounters.”

Soren shook his head. “I reckon we’re more likely to encounter a mana beast.”

“Well, I’ve traveled this path many times, so I think it’s safe to say I’m correct," Elandril snapped.

“Sorry to break it to you, but according to a recent survey, six out of every ten people that travel through these woods are attacked by wild beasts.”

Elandril snorted. “Sounds like bullshit numbers to me.”

“Numbers are still numbers.”

“You mean, bullshit numbers are bullshit numbers, right?”

An argument erupted between Elandril and Soren, their insults and curses flying back and forth like sparks in the night. I watched their verbal duel unfold, unsure of who held the upper hand in their ongoing banter.

BOOOOOM!!!!

A thunderous explosion shattered the air, shaking the ground beneath our feet. We all came to an abrupt halt, frozen by the unexpected disturbance.

Felix swiftly raised his arm, leaping onto a nearby tree in an attempt to gain a vantage point. Time seemed to stretch as we waited, tension mounting within us.

After what felt like an eternity, Felix’s eyes widened with panic.

“Get ready!” Felix shouted, his words dripping with urgency. “A colossal centipede is headed straight for us!”