1 The Beginning

[11 January year 500]

"Mother…where is father?" Little Hector ask timidly. His mother stares at him sadly before replying, "everything is going to be fine. Let's get out of here first." She dragged him outside the kingdom, while Hector still looking for his father. "Your majesty! You're safe!" a guard said relief when she sees Hector's mother. "Alex, please take him somewhere safe with you. I have to do something." Hector's mother said, handing Hector to him. "w-where are you going, mother? Y-You can't leave!" Hector cried. His mother kneeled into his level, and hug him while caressing softly his hair. "mother has to go, to help your father. Please obeyed sir Alex now." She said before letting go of the hug.

"but! I want to see father too!" Hector argues. "Alex, go now." Hector's mother ordered, "yes you're majesty. Please be safe." Alex said bowing, "let's go." He said offering his hand to Hector.

Hector stares at his mother for the last time before accepting his hand while sobbing. "I love you, my son, please live on." His mother said while smiling.

[24 July year 513]

"We're back!" Hector said while banging the door open. "w-whoa!" Ashley said falling off of the chair, "are you okay?" Theresa ask her fallen friend "Hector. How much time do I need to tell you, don't do that again! Or I'll kick you out!" Zeolite snapped. "I'm sorry." Hector said sheepishly, "Master is such an idiot after all." Arkus said while relaxing on Hector's head, "shut up you weird fox!" Hector said annoyed, "anyway, we got some job to do." He said slapping down a paper on the table.

"Dark guild? Eliminating a dark guild? On a cursed forest?" Zeolite said while reading the mission. "Cursed forest?..." Ashley whine. "C'mon Ash, just enjoy it." Theresa said trying to comfort her. "The prize is…1.000.000 Shard." Zeolite said, as Ashley jolt, "I'm in!" she said pumping out her fist in the air, "money changes your mind huh?" Hector sweatdrop. "Yeay! More meat!" Arkus cheered.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Ashley said excitedly as she was just about to exit the guild, Zeolite grabs her back collar. "Can you wait for a minute?" he ask ominous aura around lingering around him, "Y-Yes sir." Ashley said terrified, as Zeolite let go of her collar.

"Pack your things up, we're leaving in 30 minutes." Zeolite said, the others quickly run to their house. "Man, I'm like a babysitter now, taking care of three crazy kids, at least Theresa still more human-like, but those two, oh hell no." Zeolite said annoyed, before leaving the guild too. He smiles to himself, "but they are fun to have around."

"They are pretty interesting Master." A woman said while looking at them, "of course, they are, I know there is something special about them when I took them in." Master Fang said. "Hmph, let me guess, That light blue-haired boy, Hector Shirogane is a royal, am I right?" she ask closing her eyes, "yes Miss Akane, he is, unfortunately, his hometown is no longer exists." Master Fang sigh. "Shirogane Kingdom isn't it? That Zosce attacked?" the woman named Akane ask. "Indeed Miss Akane." Master Fang nods.

"What about that one? Ice Cold Vagabond? Isn't it?" Akane ask again getting interested in this one, "That is Miss Ashley Escarcha, I meet her when she was 10, she was a hotheaded before." Master Fang chuckle.

"The black-haired one?" Akane asks again leaning to the wall, "His name is Zeolite Celeste." Master Fang reply, "The brown-haired one?" She asks again, "Her name is Theresa La Fleur." Master Fang said, "La Fleur huh? That flower village?" She said, "Yes." He nods.

"And what the heck is that fluffball?" Akane asks squinting her eyes, "his names are Arkus, he's a magical fox." Master Fang answered, "it's actually my first time seeing one." Akane said a little amazed, "I see, his kind is pretty rare." Master Fang let out a soft chuckle. "You must love them very much, Master." Akane smile crossing her arms. "Of course I do Miss Akane, I love you all, if it wasn't because of you guys, we all won't be here." Master Fang smile.

"Akane! What take you so long?" A male voice called, "Be right there!" Akane reply, "goodbye Master!" she said bowing a little, then left the room.

"What took you so long? C'mon or we'll be late!" the boy with Purple hair said, "Let's go! Want to drink after the mission? My treat!" A blonde-haired woman said wrapping both her arms around those two necks. "Hey! Get off of me!" The boy said annoyed, "since when did you have enough money to treat us, Senjou?" Akane snickered.

"Well, I just have much than my expectation in my bag!" The woman named Senjou laugh, "What are you waiting for? Don't waste our time!" The boy protest, "Aww, don't get mad Senov." Senjou giggles, "Seriously, I won't buy you wine anymore if you annoy me any further." The boy named Senov said glaring at her.

"I'm so sleepy…" Hector mumble, "how much longer?" Ashley asks her cheek rest on the table, "3 hours, you can rest for a while, I'll wake you up later." Zeolite reply, while reading a book, "Then if you say so." Ashley said as she rests her head on his shoulder, "Hey, I didn't allow you to..." He sighs, he looks towards Hector who is sleeping, with Theresa on his Shoulder and his head rest on her head, both sleeping peacefully, Arkus is snoring on Hector's lap. Zeolite smiles a little, before going back to reading.

2 hours have passed and they have safely arrived at their destination.

"wake up y'all." Zeolite said, "Nggghhh…5 more minutes…" Ashley groans in her sleep, "Still tired…" Hector mumble on his sleep, soft snores come from Theresa. "Master! Give me meat! Now!" Arkus demand, jumping to his head, and began to slap his face, "Stop it…" Hector said annoyed, Arkus hold both of his cheeks, and squeeze it, his using his claws, so it makes Hector jolt "Ow, ow, ow, ow! Arkus!" he shouts holding his cheeks, "mhm?..." Theresa rubbed her eyes, yawning slightly.

"Now, my dear Master, please give me meat." Arkus said sitting on the table in front of Hector, "get it yourself you brat." Hector scowls, rubbing his cheeks. "You've got death wishes for calling me a brat." Arkus said his claws shines. "Alright, alright! Let me get it!" Hector said, he quickly opens his bag and searches for the packet of meat. "Here you go." Hector said handing it to him. "Thank you, Master!" Arkus smile, he immediately munches on the meat.

"Hurry up! Get out! We had to keep going!" the machinist yelled.

"Let's go, you too sleepyhead." Zeolite said giving Ashley a piggyback. "aww, you're so sweet Zeolite…" Ashley said teasing him "shut up, should I just leave you here on the train?" Zeolite said annoyed, "Nah, I'm fine with this." Ashley smile, as she snuggled into his back.

"Sooo, before going to the cursed forest, we're gonna talk to the mayor first?" Hector asks, "I think you already know, since you're the one suggesting this mission." Zeolite said, "Well, I just see the prize, then suggest it!" Hector said rubbing his head, "Whatever, I'm a fool to expect much to you." Zeolite sigh.

"Hey, isn't this pretty shady? I mean, the town is empty?..." Hector asks while looking around, "I see...The mages from the dark guild are setting up a barrier when we're in." Theresa said, "I suppose the citizens are trap in here because of the barrier?" Zeolite asks, "Yes, you're quick Zeolite." Theresa smile, "hee? So, we have to break the core?" Hector ask, "Yes, I think they hide it, why don't we split up and search for it?" Theresa said to them. "Seems good, I like the way you're thinking Theresa!" Hector grinned, "You two go first, I have to wake her wake up first." Zeolite said, putting down Ashley on the wall. "Yes sir!" Hector and Arkus said saluting playfully.

"So, you got any idea where the source is?" Hector asks with his hand in his pockets. "I'm not sure, let's try to go in some houses." Theresa said, she approaches a house, and twist the doorknob, and it's open, "oh, I can actually come in." Theresa said a little surprised, the two carefully come in, Theresa was focusing on her magic detection, Hector looks around for a bit, Arkus suddenly smelled humans presence. "Master! There's human here!" he said continue to sniffing, "where?" Hector ask, "wait a second…" Arkus hop off his shoulder, and began to sniff, "Here Master!" Arkus called, Hector followed him, until they see a family, the look on their eyes is terrified.

"A-Adventures? P-Please help us!" they said, "Theresa! There are citizens!" Hector called, "where is it?" Theresa reply, heading there, "Here! Here! In the living room!" Hector said, "oh, you're right." Theresa said, she approach the family slowly, kneeling down a little. "Sir? Do you know what happened here?" She ask softly, "A-A dark guild suddenly come a week ago, at first we thought they were ordinary people, but then, they trapped us all in our house! And our food capacity is very low! Please adventures! Save us!" He said, while hugging his son.

"I see. Sir, do you know where the barrier core is?" Theresa ask again, "I-I'm not sure, but I think I overheard them before, on the tallest building, the core is inside." He reply, "Thank you, you really help us, we'll be right back." Theresa smile before standing up, "Hector, let's go." She said going out the door, "Yes ma'am." Hector grinned.

"Tallest building, tallest building…oh! I think that's it!" Theresa while pointing to a tall building, "so, we're going to there?" Hector ask, "yes, let's hurry." Theresa said, before running to the building, "she got a spirit!" Hector grinned before following her.