"Welcome to Rhenmire."
Colors burst all around me—banners waved in the wind, bright cloth hung from balconies, and flower petals floated through the air. The street was full of sound and movement. Merchants yelled to sell their goods, performers danced in open squares, and kids ran past us laughing, holding glowing orbs.
"This place is amazing," I said, smiling.
"Yeah, it is," Edith replied with a small smile—but it faded quickly. "It's also dangerous. Especially for you."
I looked at her. "Why?"
"Because you don't know how to protect yourself here," she said, scanning the crowd. "Stay close to me."
As we walked deeper into the city, I began to understand. Behind the bright shops and performers, I saw shadows in alleys, men leaning on walls with strange eyes and mana that made my skin crawl. They didn't feel friendly.
The city felt like a huge maze—beautiful, but full of hidden danger.
"Helios," Edith said suddenly, "you haven't asked where we're going."
She was right. I hadn't even thought about it.
"Should I?" I asked. "I feel safe with you."
Her face turned red, and she looked away.
I blinked. What was that about?
Soon we stopped in front of a small shop between two taller buildings. A wooden sign creaked above the door:
LuckyCharms
I read it out loud. "LuckyCharms?"
"Don't be fooled," Edith said, opening the door. "There's nothing lucky about what they sell."
Ding!
The bell rang as the door opened.
"Welcome to LuckyCharms! How can we—"
A dwarf in worn brown leather stopped mid-sentence when he saw us. His eyes narrowed.
"What do you want, Edith?" he asked sharply.
"Relax, Egron," she said calmly. "Asmond sent me. Trust me, I don't enjoy seeing you either."
At the name Asmond, some tension left Egron's shoulders.
Then he looked at me. Suspicious. "Who's this?"
"I'm Helios," I said, trying to sound confident.
"New recruit to the RavenCrow?"
"Yes."
He snorted. "Take my advice, kid. Leave. While you still can."
I said nothing. There was history between him and Edith—bad history. I didn't want to get involved.
"Yeah, whatever," Edith muttered. "Let's just get what we came for."
"Fine by me," Egron said.
The room went quiet. The air felt heavy, like something unspoken was hanging between them.
Then Edith turned to me. "Check the armor and weapon section. Pick something that feels right."
She didn't stop staring at Egron.
I nodded and walked away. The shelves were full of armor—gold suits, black obsidian sets, even one that looked like it was made from shadows. I had no idea what I was doing.
Eventually, my hand stopped on something light: a black outfit with silver-plated guards on the arms and shoulders. It looked simple, but strong.
Next, I saw a pair of silver gloves on the wall. They had glowing stones in the palms. When I reached out, they pulsed once—softly.
I picked them up. They felt… alive.
I walked back to Edith and Egron. They hadn't moved.
"I'm done," I said.
Edith looked over. "That armor's kind of light, isn't it?"
Before she could continue, Egron laughed. "Light, huh? You wouldn't know good gear if it smacked you in the face. But this rookie has good taste."
Edith frowned but said nothing.
Egron stepped forward and pointed at the armor. "That's a prototype. Made from dragon scale. Light, but tougher than steel. It stores mana and controls how it's released. Like a second skin."
Edith raised an eyebrow. "Dragon scale? Where did you even find that?"
Egron ignored her. "That armor may look simple, but it's the strongest piece in all of Auria."
He looked at the gloves. "Those? Adamantium steel with reinforced joints. The stones are mana cores. They store your energy and let you shape it however you want."
His voice softened, like someone talking about something they loved.
I nodded. "They felt like they chose me."
"They did," he said. "Some tools do that."
I looked at Edith.
She sighed. "If you like them, take them. You'll need them soon."
She quickly covered her mouth, like she didn't mean to say that.
"Forget that," she added, turning away.
I was about to ask what she meant, but she walked out the door.
As I stood there, thinking, Egron tapped my shoulder.
"Listen, kid," he said. "RavenCrow is not a good place. Everyone in it has regrets. You will too. Sooner or later."
I didn't reply. I just followed Edith.
Maybe he was right. I had seen that look in people's eyes. But for now, RavenCrow was all I had. If I wasn't here, I'd be dead—on the frontlines or worse.
This was my home now. Like it or not.
I stepped outside—and chaos greeted me.
Edith was surrounded. Seven men circled her, weapons drawn.
"Come on, pretty thing," one sneered. "We just want to talk."
She looked tired. Her shoulders were tense. Why wasn't she using magic?
I didn't think. I ran in.
One of them didn't notice me. I punched him in the back, then kicked his leg. He fell, and I punched him again—knocking him out.
The others turned toward me.
"Well, well," the leader said, licking his blade. "Who's this?"
"Back off, Helios!" Edith shouted.
But I couldn't. She needed help. And she wasn't using her magic.
I dropped into a stance, fists low and ready.
This was it.
All my training with Frey had to mean something.
"Kill him," the leader ordered. "I'll deal with her."
Five came at me. Their eyes glowed red with rage.
I watched them closely. Waited.
Not yet… not yet…
Then I turned and lunged at the one behind me. He didn't expect it. I drove my knee into his gut, then slammed his head into the ground. One down.
The other four slowed, nervous.
They were scared. That gave me confidence.
I pushed off the ground and launched at the one to my right. He tried to slash, but I ducked and swept his feet. He hit the ground hard. I punched him over and over until he stopped moving.
The last three came at me together. I couldn't jump again—too slow. One swung down with his sword, but I dodged.
I tightened my fists.
POW!
My punch hit his face so hard the others froze. He fell.
The last two panicked. They threw down their swords and ran.
"Get back here, cowards!" the boss yelled, but they were already gone.
He looked at me, furious.
"I'll kill you."
But that was his mistake.
He looked away from Edith.
She moved fast—got behind him, grabbed his waist, and lifted. Then slammed him into the ground with a perfect German suplex. The hit knocked the air out of him.
She could barely stand afterward. Holding her arm, she walked over to me.
"Let's go," she said, angry. She spat on the ground and muttered something under her breath.
That was my first day in the capital.