Rygic woke early the next morning, feeling a bit groggy as he stretched his arms and legs. He had found little sleep during the night. Every time he dozed off, Yunea would appear, cautioning him of a race that looked very much like Elves with pale, semi-translucent skin. Yet, what unsettled him most were their piercing blood-red eyes and prominent canines. He walked over to the window and rubbed his eyes to clear the sleep from them before looking outside. His breath left a small mark on the glass, which he quickly wiped down with his forearm. The view revealed a misty morning. Silhouettes of daybreak workers passed by silently through the gloom, and he couldn't help but wonder what the day had in store for him and his friends. Would they successfully find another tank or healer? Would they be forced to use their backup plan of Quart healing while he tanked? The uncertainty lingered in his mind. He slowly got dressed and made his way down to get an early breakfast. Halfway down the stairs, he spotted a young dwarf with flaming red hair engrossed in conversation with Yaz. Catching sight of Rygic, Yaz brightly smiled and exchanged a few more words with the young dwarf seated at the table. The dwarven girl politely smiled, making eye contact with Rygic, evidently waiting for him to approach. 

"Good morning," Rygic whispered, mindful of not disturbing those still asleep in the rooms above. 

"Good morning, Rygic," greeted Yaz, matching his hushed tone. Olden Manor's sturdy construction couldn't completely stifle sounds from breaking through the wooden floorboards and walls, so they both kept their voices low. Yaz often debated installing sound-dampening runes in the sections that made up the Rusty Cow Inn, but their costs were too high. "I'd like you to meet Megas, my niece.” 

“Nice to meet you, Megas. We have heard a lot about you,” Rygic greeted warmly. 

 Megas smiled back, “Nice to meet you as well. I heard a lot about you from Aunt Yaz.” She had also heard about him at the Academy. Being the first Elven Academy student in years stirred quite a buzz during the first few days of class.  

Yaz mumbled something incoherently before clearing her throat and changing the subject, “What will you have for breakfast Rygic?” She gently pulled out a chair from the table and gestured for Rygic to join Megas and help himself to a steaming cup of earthroot tea. 

“Crispy bacon and toast,” answered Rygic as he took a tentative sip from the mug of steaming tea, wary of burning his tongue – a mistake he had made a few weeks before.  

“A light breakfast, eh?” Knowing Rygic normally ate a much heartier meal, she sensed that he must be feeling the pressure to finish their quest. “Don’t worry, things will work out,” comforted Yaz who then left to fetch his breakfast.  

Megas took a sip of her Earthroot tea and gently planted the mug down with her hands wrapped around it for warmth. “Aunt Yaz told me about what happened to your group yesterday,” she sympathized. “Still… I’d be careful about how you plan to pay Nolrey back. As a noble, he has the means to make your life difficult,” she warned. 

“Thanks… we’ll be careful. I don’t plan on any immediate payback. I fear it would only escalate things,” replied Rygic. 

Megas nodded in agreement; her expression serious yet thoughtful. “I believe that is wise.” Bringing the mug back up to her mouth, she took a long, deliberate drink of her tea, savoring its depth of flavor with her eyes closed. Then, looking directly at Rygic, she added, “Sadly, you weren’t the only one to experience hardship. Seems a group of thieves posing as students ran off with another group’s loot. And another group pulled too much, that is, drew the attention of too many rats. Several of their members ended up having to be taken to the healers.” 

“I won’t say that makes me feel entirely better, but I do feel a tiny bit of relief knowing that we are not the only ones fooled. At least we managed to leave the sewers without major injury,” commented Rygic, his brow furrowed with lingering concern. “How did your group fare?”  

“We did fairly well! Our group is lucky to have a fantastic tank, if I do say so myself,” grinned Megas as she casually lifted her arm and flexed her left bicep. She then delved into the details of her run, and Rygic couldn't help but compare the similarities to the successful dynamics he encountered with his own group before the betrayal. The memory stung a bit. It was nice to experience the fullness of a well-performing team and he was eager to have that again… but with trustworthy members this time. Megas was just finishing up her story when Quart and Dreck came down to the dining area to join them. 

“Morning,” greeted Rygic. Then gesturing to Megas, he added, “This is Megas, Yaz’s niece!”  

“Greetings!” Quart exclaimed with a broad smile, his enthusiasm evident as he immediately took a seat next to her, introducing himself with zeal. Dreck couldn’t help but smirk at his friend’s eagerness, who seemed to have already forgotten about the incident with Trella. 

Dreck settled into a seat next to Rygic, and the two exchanged amused glances as they observed Quart's enthusiastic demeanor. “Hello, I am Dreck,” he quickly introduced himself when Quart had stopped a moment to drink some Earthroot tea.  

Quart was so enamored by Megas that he failed to see Yaz standing there, waiting to take his order. “Ahem,” interrupted Yaz, breaking his trance. Slightly blushing, he quickly scanned the table and ordered the same as Rygic. He then looked at Dreck and waited for him to order, but instead, Yaz walked off to fetch their breakfast. After a momentary hint of panic, Quart realized he must’ve been too distracted to notice Yaz taking Dreck’s order. He lightly scratched his head and shared an embarrassed smile with the group. 

As they enjoyed their breakfast together, the group shared their experiences of Academy life with one another. Rygic was surprised to hear that Megas' classroom was a bit different than his own. Rather than an open field during the early spring season, her classroom was themed around Autumn. It was set in an open field surrounded by Silverwood trees. Silverwood trees were renowned for their vibrant mix of red and yellow leaves and striking white trunks. It sounded equally as beautiful, if not more, than the classroom he was familiar with. 

Extremely satisfied with her breakfast, Megas pushed her plate away and leaned back in her seat with a contented smile. Her gaze moved from one person to another seated at the table. Her expression was one of intense resolve. “I might have a lead to help fill out your party. I heard from another classmate that there is a tank who isn’t in a group.” 

Dreck's eyebrow arched with a hint of skepticism as he leaned back and crossed his arms, creating an aura of caution around him. He studied Megas with a mixture of curiosity and wariness. "What's the catch?" he inquired; his voice tinged with a touch of suspicion. The memory of the recent betrayal weighed heavily on his mind, naturally making him hesitant of new party members, especially for the crucial role of a tank.  

“Well, for one, I hear she wields the rarest form of magic among tanks… Arcane,” Megas stated, glancing around at each group member, eager for their reactions. 

“A pure arcane tank?” Arcane tanks tended to be rare due to their abilities lending more to range or support roles. “No wonder they are not in a group,” commented Dreck. 

“Is that bad?” questioned Rygic. He assumed the effectiveness of a tank should depend more on their skills rather than the specific type of magic they wielded. 

“No, just rare,” clarified Megas. “Some people are biased and think anything other than fire and earth tanks are too weak.” She shook her head with annoyance. “They’re all fools if you ask me!” 

Puzzled, Rygic pondered, “Surely there have to be others that agree with you?” As rare as those who take up the tanking role, Rygic couldn’t help but wonder if there might be more to the story.  

Quart, who had been daydreaming about future dates with Megas realized he had missed part of the conversation. Feeling rather confused, he spoke up. “Sorry, but who are we even talking about?” 

“Her name is Lita Evensong,” answered Megas. “I am not sure why she’s ungrouped. I have heard she is a skilled tank though... why don’t you three meet with her and decide for yourself?” 

Rygic’s eyes briefly narrowed as he considered her words. He glanced at Dreck and Quart, who both seemed to be waiting for his thoughts on the matter. Rygic was indeed intrigued by the idea of meeting a pure arcane tank and seeing if she would be a good fit for their group. “Fair enough, can’t hurt to meet her.” Still, he felt that there was more to Lita Evensong than just her magic affinity.  

“If she isn’t by the sign-up boards, you might find her practicing against the target dummies in the back of the academy,” informed Megas. Taking a quick look at the grandfather clock near the stairs, she suddenly stood up. “I need to get going! My group is going to kill me if I am late. Good luck to you all!” With that, she stood up and practically sprinted out of the door. 

“I guess we should get moving too,” suggested Rygic. “The faster we can form our team, the sooner we can complete our first quest.” Dreck and Quart nodded in agreement.  

Rygic and Dreck headed for the door while Quart took a moment to down the last of his Earthroot tea before jumping from his seat and scurrying after his friends. As they stepped out of the inn, the morning fog had gracefully dissipated, unveiling a day of clarity and coolness. Their spirits lifted in sync with the brightening day as they made good time reaching the Academy gates; however, when the trio arrived at the signup posts they were surprised to see the area empty of students.  

Quart scanned their surroundings and voiced what his friends were wondering, “Think everyone is still sleeping?”  

“That, or we are the only ones who still need members. That can’t be right, can it?” questioned Dreck. 

"Well, when you think about it, what are the odds of having the exact number of students needed to form a perfect group of five?" stated Rygic. He doubted that the Academy would cap the enrollment numbers. 

“True,” mused Dreck.  

“Shall we head over to the target dummies?” suggested Quart, almost too eagerly.  

“Lead on,” smiled Rygic. 

The three walked towards the back of the academy. As they turned the corner, they were greeted not only by the expected benches and tables but also a serene cluster of trees surrounding a small pond. Target dummies lined the back wall, and Rygic’s attention was drawn to a young human with curly blonde hair. She was engaging in combat with the dummy designed for tanks, skillfully wielding a shield in one hand and a short sword in the other. Her armor was a combination of chainmail and leather, giving her a practical yet agile appearance. There was something oddly familiar about her soft blue eyes and the blonde curls of hair feathering her face like a halo of sunlight. His eyes lingered on her, searching for any clue that could explain the uncanny sensation of familiarity washing over him. 

“Lita Evensong?” ventured Rygic as he approached.  

“Yes, who wants to know,” she replied, her tone slightly cold as she deftly dodged a dummy's attack and struck back. 

Although her reaction caught him a little off guard, Rygic maintained his friendly demeanor and gestured to himself and the others while introducing them. “I am Rygic and these two are my friends, Quart and Dreck.” 

“That’s nice. Look I don’t want to be rude, but unless you are here looking for a tank, I am a little busy,” replied Lita with a grunt as she blocked a full-force attack.  

“Actually...we are,” Rygic quickly replied. 

“You are?” Lita asked, a hint of surprise in her voice. She quickly cut off the tiny sliver of mana she was passively feeding the combat dummy that kept it powered. Taking a few steps away from the now lifeless target practice, she tucked her blade in the scabbard at her hip and slung her shield onto her back. “In that case, I am listening.” 

Rygic gave his best recruitment spiel with Quart adding in a comment or two. Dreck stood a little off to the side, studying her. He wondered why she was ungrouped. After all, judging by her fight with the dummy earlier, it was obvious that she was skilled in battle. 

At the end of Rygic’s pitch, Dreck bluntly blurted out, “Why are you ungrouped? Tanks are highly sought after.” 

With a heavy sigh, Lita placed a hand on her hip and shifted her weight before answering. “I have a few things going against me. One, my magic affinity is Arcane.” She looked at the three, waiting for their reactions, but to her surprise, it didn’t seem like a big deal to them. Pressing on, she continued, “I… also have the pleasure of having a low mana pool compared to others...” 

She observed the familiar mix of surprise and disbelief on their faces – reactions she had grown accustomed to receiving. However, she was taken aback when Rygic responded, “Thank you for being honest and sharing that. I can’t say a lot of other students would have.”  

“That is for sure,” remarked Dreck whose face took on a friendlier look.  

Quart briskly walked over to Lita and held his hand out. “Welcome to the group!” he excitedly exclaimed. It was clear that he was instantly won over by her honesty. Rygic looked over at Dreck, who returned a smile and a shrug, signaling his approval of their new teammate.  

Lita glanced at Rygic and Dreck, who nodded at her with confidence, affirming Quart’s statement. With a wide smile, she took Quart’s hand and responded with a firm shake. “Thanks! I promise you won’t regret it.” Relieved, she brought her arms in from of her, interlocked her fingers, and enjoyed a brief stretch. “So, when are we going to meet up with your fourth member?” 

“Ah, about that...You wouldn’t happen to know an ungrouped damage dealer or healer, would you?” inquired Rygic. “Quart doesn’t mind healing; he just likes dealing damage more. 

If it bothered Lita that they still needed a fourth member, she didn’t show it. Instead, it appeared as if she was debating something internally. Finally, after coming to a decision, she replied, “Actually I do, a fellow classmate. Though like me, she’s not very sought after… if anything, she’s less sought after,” she stated with a slight nervous chuckle. 

“Because of her mana pool?” questioned Quart. 

“No, in fact, from what I have seen in class, she is one of the better range damage dealers.” 

Ever the skeptic, Dreck asked, “So, what is the catch?” Though this time, he smiled, and his tone was kinder.  

“Hmm, it's probably better for you to talk to her. There really isn’t much of one, it's just for some, well… she’s not their cup of tea,” stated Lita.  

“We’ll at least meet your classmate. Lead on,” said Rygic. 

Lita guided the group back to the front of the Academy. She took a cursory look around before heading into the building. Once inside, she led the group up to the second floor where all the first year’s classrooms were. Stopping in front of the last classroom in the hall, she briefly poked her head inside to scan the room. Content with what she saw, she turned back to address the group. “She’s here. Her name is Ruby Benta.” Lita then motioned for the three to follow her into the classroom as she sheepishly smiled, somewhat hesitant to introduce them to her classmate. 

Just as Megas’ room differed from Rygic’s, this class was no exception. It had a river land theme, reminiscent of a serene oasis. Like Rygic’s classroom, the desks were arranged in the middle of the room, but with a flowing river gently meandering just off-center. Dragonflies rested on tall reeds, and elegant cranes dipped their beaks into the water to catch fish. A charming little bridge connected both sides of the classroom, leading to a row of neatly arranged target dummies, eagerly waiting to be utilized. Amidst this captivating scene, a short, hooded, and robed figure emerged as the focal point. She was clad entirely in black, her face shrouded by the protective hood. With an air of poise and concentration, the mysterious figure stood in front of one of the long-range target dummies. In one hand, she held a worn leather tome, while her other hand was outstretched towards the target. Dark bolts of mana crackled and surged from her fingertips, deftly striking the dummies with unparalleled precision.  

Lita led the group over the bridge, stopping a short distance from the student.  

When the figure paused in between casting, Lita’s voice rang out with a cheerful greeting, “Ruby, well met!” 

 Caught off guard by Lita's sudden appearance, the student yelped in surprise, her head snapping towards Lita with a scowl etched across her face. For a fleeting moment, a look of genuine surprise crossed her face as her eyes fell upon the three companions standing beside Lita. However, like a curtain swiftly drawn closed, her expression reverted to a stoic, uninterested demeanor, concealing any emotion that might have previously flickered in her eyes. “Well met, Lita. Who are your friends?” Ruby mumbled in a monotonous tone, her voice void of any discernible emotion. 

Undeterred by Ruby’s reaction, Lita cheerfully introduced the three, “They are members of a party I just joined! Rygic, Dreck, and the little one is Quart!” She beamed with satisfaction. 

Rygic’s eyes quickly darted over to Quart, fully expecting an impish attitude from him, but was shocked to see him completely unfazed by Lita’s remark. Instead, Quart held a look of absolute adoration. Clearly enamored by her beauty and skills, Quart surprisingly refrained from interjecting into the conversation and making himself noticed, as he typically does. “Well, this is different,” Rygic thought to himself. A wry smile curved his lips as he observed Quart’s most unusual behavior. 

“Nice to meet you,” Ruby replied in a tone that seemed to blend boredom and annoyance, her disinterest evident. “I am happy that you found a group, Lita. If you don’t mind, I need to get back to training.” 

It could have been Rygic’s imagination, but he sensed a tinge of dejection, even a hint of jealousy in her last words. “We’re here to recruit if you are willing,” he announced before Ruby could return to the target dummy.  

The tiniest of smiles formed on Ruby’s face before disappearing. “I wield Death Magic,” she bluntly stated. “You sure you still want to recruit me?” Her words hung in the air, laden with doubt and a hint of vulnerability. Her admission of wielding Death Magic seemed to carry a weight of its own, as if she had grown accustomed to others shying away from her rare affinity and she had already accepted rejection as the likely outcome. 

Rygic's eyes met Ruby's, and he could sense the insecurities that lingered beneath her stoic facade. He wanted to assure her that her magic affinity was not a deterrent for their group, but rather an intriguing addition. To his surprise, Dreck stepped forward and was the first to respond. “It doesn’t matter to us. I am a shadow magic user. My friends here have never held it against me,” he declared, while Quart nodded emphatically in agreement. Some view Shadow magic with the same distaste because many of their spells tend to be used for stealth and spying. 

Rygic seized the opportunity in an attempt to dispel Ruby's reservations. “If I am not mistaken, your sponsor for Death Magic is the Arista, right?” he inquired. 

Ruby's intense gaze met Rygic's as she softly replied with a simple "yes." 

“Then there is no issue. Arista, as well as Seiran, were present during my mana affinity test. If it was okay for Arista to be present along with Seiran, the leader of the spirits, then it is surely okay to welcome you into our group,” stated Rygic. 

The mention of Arista's presence during Rygic's affinity test sparked immediate curiosity among the group, leaving each member taken aback by the revelation. Quart and Dreck, with eager anticipation in their eyes, looked to Rygic, silently urging him to continue sharing details of his mana affinity test. Yet, despite the hopeful gazes directed his way, Rygic's determined focus remained fixed on Ruby, as if willing her to respond. Everyone understood that death magic was one of the rarest types, but Rygic understood it was probably one of the most misunderstood types. His words offered Ruby something she had rarely experienced, words of validation.  

After a brief moment, Quart followed suit. “Will you join us?” he asked with a bright, hopeful expression.  

The hesitation that had once clouded Ruby’s face began to dissolve and as her defenses wavered, she looked to Quart and allowed herself a small, genuine smile.  

“Yes.”