It Starts

Esvor strode through the dense forest near Redhaven, his boots crunching on the fallen leaves. His eyes were focused, his sword at his hip. The night was dark, the trees blocking most of the moonlight.

Gale, his trusted advisor, walked beside him, her posture straight despite her age. She carried a mace that glowed faintly with magical energy. She wasn't fond of traipsing through forests at night, but they had no choice. The potion for Professor Yuu required the thorn of a particularly nasty forest monster, and they were the only ones who could get it.

"Are we sure it's here?" Esvor asked, his voice low with impatience. "I've had enough of wandering through the woods."

"Patience, Esvor," Gale replied, her voice calm. "The creature is elusive, but it tends to roam this area at night. We'll find it."

She raised her mace, casting a faint light ahead to illuminate their path. As the light spread, the wildlife stirred in response. Birds took off from their perches with a flutter of wings, startled by the sudden brightness. In the distance, the calls of owls echoed through the trees.

"There was a murder in the market," said Esvor. "The Topple took another life."

"Yes," she replied, "I heard she was only sixteen. Poor girl."

A low growl rumbled in the distance, sending a shiver through the trees. Gale stopped, has she tried to pinpoint the source.

"That's it," she said. "The Kurfury. Its thorns are what we need for the potion."

Esvor drew his sword, the metal glinting in the dim light. "I thought these things were rare," he said, gripping the hilt tightly. "What does it look like?"

"It's large, covered in thick fur with sharp spikes protruding from its back," Gale replied. She was calm despite the growing tension. "It's fast and aggressive, so be careful. It can use those spikes as weapons."

The growl grew louder as the Kurfury emerged from the shadows. It was a massive creature, its fur matted and wild, with long spines jutting from its back and shoulders. Its eyes glowed with a fierce light, and its teeth were jagged and sharp, designed for ripping and tearing.

"Ready?" Gale asked, raising her mace to cast an illusion spell. "I'll distract it, and you get in close."

He nodded, his eyes fixed on the beast. Gale waved her mace, creating a series of illusory figures that moved in a wide arc around the Kurfury, drawing its attention. The beast roared, swinging its spiked tail at the illusions, but they disappeared upon contact.

Esvor took advantage of the distraction, moving toward the Kurfury's flank. He swung his sword, aiming for its legs to weaken its stance. The beast roared in pain, lashing out with its spikes, but Esvor dodged with a quick roll, coming up on the other side.

Gale continued to cast illusions, each one designed to keep the Kurfury occupied while Esvor maneuvered into position to strike. The beast thrashed and roared, its tail swinging wildly, but the illusions confused it, giving Esvor the opening he needed.

With a swift strike, Esvor landed a blow that severed one of the beast's spines, causing it to stagger. Gale's illusions continued to swirl around the Kurfury, keeping it off balance, while Esvor moved in for the last attack. The beast stopped moving, but it was still breathing.

"Just in case," Esvor said as he plunged his sword into the beast's head. "You never know if it's dead or not."

"We might as well take its leather, too," Gale suggested. "We can sell it for a good price."

Esvor nodded, looking down at the motionless body of the Kurfury. "You're right... but do you know how to skin a monster like this? I've only skinned normal animals, not beasts."

"Don't worry," Gale replied, approaching the beast's body. "Let me help you."

While Gale skinned the beast, Esvor took out his pocket knife and knelt beside the Kurfury. The thorns that came out from its rough hide were thick and barbed, each one a potential weapon. With careful precision, he used the blade to pry them loose.

"Have you heard about the Family Match, King?" Gale asked.

"Yeah. It's tomorrow, right?" Esvor replied, carefully placing a thorn into his pouch.

"Want to go and watch it? It might take your mind off all this – this mess," Gale said, her knife sliding down another line of the beast's fur.

"I don't know. There's still too much to do. The Topple, the curses, damned elves –" Esvor reached for another thorn.

"Take off just two hours. You need that, Esvor," Gale suggested, her tone softening a bit as she worked on a tough patch of leather.

"Maybe..." Esvor sighed, gathering the last of the thorns. "I don't know. We'll see."

Gale smiled, knowing he rarely took breaks.

"Let's get back to Redhaven," Esvor said, standing up and stretching his legs. "We don't want to stay here any longer than we have to."

Esvor dropped the sack on the table with a heavy thud, causing a brief pause in the activity around him. The table was cluttered with potion ingredients, beakers, and flasks of various shapes and sizes. Professor Yuu was at the center of the table, with a serious expression and focused eyes. He was stirring a large cauldron, steam rising in twisting patterns, filling the room with a pungent aroma.

Yuki and Tamiko, his daughters, were busy assisting their father. Yuki was carefully adding ingredients as instructed, while Tamiko focused on casting precise spells to ensure the potion's stability.

The library was quiet and messy. The grand doors at the entrance were broken, their latches shattered and unable to keep them closed. The only window was now a jagged collection of shards, with broken glass littering the floor beneath it. To keep the wind and cold out, wooden crates had been stacked in front of the gaping window frames.

"Thank you, Esvor. I really appreciate it," Professor Yuu said, his tone appreciative but distracted by his work. "It should be – it should be ready any second, now."

Professor Yuu stopped stirring for a moment, pouring a small amount of a clear liquid into the cauldron to stabilize the potion. "Yuki, take the thorns and crush them into pieces," he said, his instructions calm but firm.

Yuki reached for the thorns in the sack and placed them in a mortar. "Yes, father," she replied, taking a pestle and beginning to grind the thorns into a fine powder.

Lore, sitting on a fallen bookshelf, gulped nervously as she watched Professor Yuu work.

"Will this potion really work, sir?" asked Lore, her voice uncertain.

"Yes, it will. Trust me," replied Professor Yuu. "It's designed to create a field that disrupts charm-based attacks. If you apply it to your skin, it will create an invisible barrier that can absorb and neutralize hostile spells within a ten-foot radius."

"Okay… it'll work. It'll work," Lore muttered to herself, as if repeating it would make her believe it. "But – his sleep spell only works on men, doesn't it?"

"No, it can even work on animals, Lore. The caster chooses which target they don't want to fall asleep," Professor Yuu replied, stirring the potion carefully.

"Soul resisted the spell, though," Lore pointed out.

"Soul – from D-Class? The silver-haired young man?" Professor Yuu raised an eyebrow. "That's unusual." He paused, contemplating what Lore said. "Was he near the caster when the spell was used?"

"Yes, he was," Lore confirmed, her voice less shaky. "Even Hyun-Ki couldn't resist it."

His gaze grew thoughtful. "Interesting."

"I wish he was here…"

Professor Yuu looked at her with concern. "Why was The topple obsessed with you, Lore? Don't get me wrong, but do you have some sort of history with him?"

"No, I swear I don't know him," she said, her voice filled with frustration and fear. "He just came out of nowhere, stalking me."

"So he's just targeting random girls?" Professor Yuu asked, stirring the potion again, the liquid swirling with renewed energy.

"Probably only Dierman and Nierman-blessed girls," added Tamiko. "He is the worst, I swear…"

"Don't be afraid, Lore," Professor Yuu said reassuringly. "Gale and my daughters will stay in your room. If that creep comes near you, he's going to regret that the curse was ever lifted off him."

Gale sat at a smaller table nearby, examining a book of spells. She had her glasses on, peering closely at the magical symbols and occasionally making notes in a leather-bound journal. Though her attention seemed focused on her study, she kept an ear out for any sign of trouble, her mace resting against the table within easy reach.

"Hey, what's the deal with the toad, Yuu?" she asked. "Esvor told me that you owe him a toad?"

"Toad?" Professor Yuu and Esvor exchanged glances, their eyes widening as if they'd been caught doing something they shouldn't. "It's… nothing, my dear wife."

"Yuu?" Gale pressed. "What are you two hiding?"

"Really, Gale." Esvor cut in, attempting to sound nonchalant. "Nothing."

"Mm… is that so?"

"So, uh, Yuu – what's the plan here, what are we doing?" said Esvor, attempting to change the subject.

"Professor." A teacher entered, nodding a greeting. He was holding a sword and a bow. "The local blacksmith says he has a delivery here. A man named Gale."

"Man?" Gale sighed in frustration. "It's me."

"Your name's Gale? Huh – anyway, he has some weapons for you, ma'am. Both of them are made with Lindworm scales, apparently."

"Oh, that's great." She took the sword, then the bow from him. "Thanks."

"No problem. I'll stay at the back entrance to keep watch. See you later, Professor."

"Thanks, Hughan. You do that."

Gale examined the sword with a critical eye, checking the blade's edge and craftsmanship. It was well-made, the lindworm scales giving it a distinctive sheen. The weight felt balanced in her hand, and the texture of the scales added a unique grip to the hilt. She gave it a few test swings, feeling the smoothness of the blade's movement through the air, and nodded in approval.

"Here you go, Tamiko. It's yours," Gale said, handing her the sword.

"Wha – for me? Are you sure, Mother?" Tamiko's eyes widened with surprise. "Wow... it's really beautiful. I – I don't know what to say. I mean..."

"And here's your bow, Yuki," Gale continued, handing the bow to her other daughter.

"I knew it! I knew that was for me! Yes! Yes!" Yuki cheered jumping in the air. "A Lindworm bow!"

"Hey, where's my present, Gale?" Esvor asked, crossing his arms with a smirk.

"I'm her husband! Where's 'my' present?" Professor Yuu chimed in, pretending to be indignant.

Gale sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes. "Ugh, you boys..."

The horses slowed, and the cart came to a halt. The early morning air was crisp and cool, filled with the soft sounds of waking birds and distant village activity. Soul opened his eyes, his vision adjusting to the first light of the sun's rays breaking over the horizon.

He stretched slightly, feeling the stiffness from the night's travel. The surroundings slowly came into focus, revealing the edge of a forest.

"Here we are…" Ji-Hye said with a short breath. "It – it starts here…"

"Yeah," Soul murmured, his voice low. "It starts."