Dawn had barely broken when Akseli opened his bedroom door. The corridors of the Vainio Clan residence were still dark. Most of the household was still asleep, with only the sound of the morning wind blowing softly through the old windows.A small bag hung from his shoulder. Inside were only his family’s heirloom sword, a map to the Tomb of the Kings, his mother’s black pendant, and a letter he had folded neatly. There were no luxuries or valuable supplies, as if he truly intended to start his life from scratch.Akseli stared down the hallway for a long time. For eighteen years, this house had been his entire world. It was here he had grown up, endured insults for being born without an Aether Heart, and it was here that he had decided to leave it all behind.His footsteps sounded faint on the wooden floor. Each step felt heavier than the last—not out of hesitation, but because he realized this journey might not bring him back home.As he passed the main hall, he stopped. On the table

ROOOAAARRR!!The Shadow Bear’s roar shook the entire Ashen Forest.The shockwave swept through the surrounding trees, stripping them of their leaves. Night birds took flight in a panic, while the smaller monsters hiding in the thickets fled immediately.The beast stared at Garrick’s group with glowing red eyes.Then...BOOM!Its massive body lunged forward."Scatter!" Garrick barked.Everyone moved almost in unison.Brom took the lead. The giant axe in his hands spun before crashing into the Shadow Bear’s foreleg.DANG!The impact sounded like iron striking rock.The axe left only a faint scratch.However, the force of the blow was enough to throw the Shadow Bear off balance for a split second."There!" Luna shouted.Swish! Swish! Swish!Three arrows flew in rapid succession.One struck the monster's left shoulder.The other two were simply swatted away by its claws.The Shadow Bear roared in anger.In a flash, its claws swept toward Brom."Watch out!"Brom hurriedly raised his axe as

Dawn slowly broke over the Ashen Forest. Sunlight pierced through the gaps in the giant trees, banishing the mist that had blanketed the woods since the night before. The sound of birds returned, as if the lifeanddeath struggle of the previous night were merely a dream.Inside the cave, only embers remained of the campfire. Brom stretched, groaning softly."I feel like my bones are about to fall apart."Finn chuckled. "Be grateful you can still complain. That means you’re not dead yet.""If you were the one who got hit by that Shadow Bear, you'd know how it feels."Luna shook her head as she packed away her bow. "Fighting first thing in the morning, are we?"The atmosphere felt much lighter than the night before. Although their bodies were still covered in wounds, at least they had managed to survive.In the corner of the cave, Akseli slowly opened his eyes. His right shoulder still throbbed with pain from the Shadow Bear’s blow. He moved his arm cautiously; the pain was still there,

The sound of Goblin horns still echoed through the trees of the Blackroot Forest.WIIIIIIT!!From behind bushes and tree trunks, a dozen Goblins emerged one after another. Their red eyes stared greedily at Akseli as they raised their crude weapons. Akseli gripped his sword tighter, his eyes darting to calculate the number of enemies before him.Five in front. Four on the right. Several more were already circling behind him.They were far more numerous than the Guild’s mission report had indicated."So this is the trap..."He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. Panic would only make him die faster.The first Goblin lunged, swinging a stone axe. Akseli dodged, shifting half a step to the side.Srak!His blade flashed, leaving a long gash across the Goblin's chest. But before he could finish it off, two others attacked from different directions. Akseli retreated immediately, choosing to maintain his distance rather than counterattack.The Goblins let out shrill, mocking lau

That morning, the sky over Greyhaven was still cloaked in a thin mist. Dew clung to the leaves, while the cobblestone streets began to fill with hunters preparing for their missions. The sound of carts and the chatter of adventurers filled the air, creating the usual lively atmosphere. Yet for Akseli, the morning felt different. Ever since waking from his dream the night before, his mind had been filled with a single name he couldn't forget.The Ashen Mountains.He stood for a long time in front of the inn window, gazing at the silhouette of the mountains, which appeared faint behind the fog. For some reason, there was a strange sensation pulling him there, as if something had been waiting for him for a long time."Are the answers really there...?"The question kept circling in his mind.After putting on his coat and buckling his sword at his waist, Akseli headed down to the Guild hall. As usual, Walter was already there. The middleaged man was reviewing several mission reports, occas