The stone streets leading to the Adventurer's Guild of Therandil were louder than Kael remembered.
Steel boots scraped against cobblestone. Leather armor creaked. Voices—dozens of them—rose and fell like crashing waves. Adventurers of every race and rank crowded the guild entrance, their weapons strapped openly, expressions tense and restless.
Kael slowed his pace instinctively.
"This is… a lot more people than usual," Draven muttered, adjusting the strap of his quiver.
Kael nodded, his eyes scanning the crowd. "Something serious is happening."
They stepped through the heavy wooden doors, and the noise multiplied tenfold.
Inside the Guild Hall, adventurers packed every corner—some standing atop tables, others arguing near the quest board, while groups clustered together, whispering urgently. Maps were spread across counters, red markings hastily scrawled across forest routes and mountain passes.
Behind the main desk stood Brunhilde, the guild receptionist, her usually calm expression replaced with sharp focus as she directed runners back and forth.
Kael and Draven approached her counter.
"Brunhilde," Kael called out.
She looked up, relief flickering briefly across her face. "Kael. Draven. You picked a rough day to visit."
Draven leaned closer. "What's going on? Why is the guild this crowded?"
Brunhilde exhaled slowly, then spoke in a low voice."The Lizard-men have become a national-level threat. Trade routes are blocked. Border towns are under siege. Mines have fallen. The guild has issued an emergency mobilization."
Kael's jaw tightened.
"So… what can we do?" he asked without hesitation.
Brunhilde studied him for a moment, then nodded decisively."There's a mine recovery operation forming right now. Several iron and mana-stone mines have been captured and occupied by Lizard-men. If we don't reclaim them, weapon production will collapse."
She turned and pointed toward a group near the tactical map.
"That team is still accepting members. If you want in, now's the time."
The Mine Recovery Team
The group Brunhilde indicated stood apart from the rest—calmer, more disciplined.
Six adventurers.
Each of them radiated experience.
At their center stood a tall, broad-shouldered man wearing dark steel armor etched with old battle scars. A massive greatsword rested against his shoulder.
"That must be the captain," Draven whispered.
They approached.
The man turned, sharp eyes assessing them instantly.
"I'm Captain Garrick Ironvein," he said, voice steady and commanding. "Rank Four. Leader of this operation."
He gestured to the others.
A silver-haired female mage adjusted her staff."Lyra Moonfall, Wind and Light magic."
A heavily armored warrior with a tower shield nodded."Brom Stoneguard."
A lean man with twin daggers smirked."Silas Quickstep."
A support mage carrying multiple satchels raised a hand."Evelyn Crest, healing and reinforcement magic."
Finally, a beastkin archer with sharp golden eyes spoke quietly."Rhen Wildmark."
Kael and Draven exchanged a glance.
Draven stepped forward. "I'm Draven, archer. Rank Two."
Kael followed. "Kael. Swordsman. Rank Two."
Garrick's gaze lingered on Kael.
"A swordsman?" he repeated. "Any magic?"
Kael shook his head calmly. "None."
The mood shifted.
Silence fell.
Lyra frowned slightly. Silas clicked his tongue.
Garrick crossed his arms. "A non-magic melee fighter… in a mine occupied by Lizard-men?"
Draven spoke quickly. "He's stronger than he looks."
Brunhilde stepped forward. "Kael has survived multiple high-risk missions. His performance record is solid."
A moment of silence. Garrick sighed."…Fine. He joins."
Then his eyes hardened.
"But on one condition," he said, turning directly to Kael."If something happens in the dark, you protect yourself. No one will save your ass."
Kael met his gaze steadily.
Kael replied. "I accept."
Inside his chest, something burned brighter.
'This time… I'll prove it.' He thought to himself.
Into the Mine
The journey to the mine was tense but silent.
As they entered the mountains, the air grew damp and heavy. The mine entrance loomed like a gaping mouth, darkness swallowing the light beyond the threshold.
Lanterns were lit. Maps unfolded.
"Formation Alpha," Garrick ordered. "Move."
The moment they stepped inside—
A hiss echoed.
Then another.
"CONTACT!" Brom shouted.
Lizard-men burst from the tunnels, blades flashing.
Chaos erupted.
Steel clashed. Arrows flew. Magic flared—
But the darkness swallowed everything. It was very difficult to handle the latern while they were fighting.
Most of the team struggled, swinging blindly.
But Kael didn't.
His feet shifted instinctively. His body moved before thought.
To him, the darkness wasn't empty.
He smelled damp scales.
He heard claws scraping stone.
He felt air displacement.
A sword came from the left—Kael parried without looking.
A spear thrust from behind—he ducked.
His blade moved like it already knew where to go.
The Lizard-man fell.
Then another.
And another.
Garrick glanced over, stunned.
Flashback: The Blindfold
A memory surfaced into Kael's mind.
A younger Kael, barely six years old.
A blindfold tied tight around his eyes.
"Again," Rorik's voice commanded.
Kael stumbled, struck, fell.
"Feel the air. Listen. Smell."
Pain. Sweat. Failure.
"Again."
He could feel the effect of all that training he had in his life. He thanked his dad for all that training he gave him. He sees this oppurtunity as a chance to prove himself that he can handle himself just as fine as any adventurer, even without magic.
Complete Darkness
Another wave of lizarmen surged from the darkness of the mine. Their numbers were overwelming. Most of them look tough as well
A strike from the lizardmen shattered a lantern held in Evelyn Crest's hands
The mine plunged into absolute darkness.
The mine got suddenly filled with Screams.
Panic spread like wildfire among the members of the team.
Magic misfired.
Lizard-men thrived forward. They have an advantage now. They claerly intent to use it and kill their intruders.
But Kael refused to give up. He moved forward without hesitation. He began to swings his swords as per his senses told him.
But the others fell into complete defense. They all are strong adventurers but none of them have the experience of fighting in the dark. The darkness completely blinded them. Captain Garrick thought that they were all done for. The team members almost lost their hope.
But the sound of steel sung in the air. While they all were struggling they could still hear the screams of those Lizardmen around them. Lyra Moonfall then suddenly get bathed in blood of the lizardmen. She has no idea that it was blood. She got terrifies and covered her head and croutch down. Not just her but everyone could feel the struggle going on around them.
Bodies began to fell down one by one in the darkness. But none know who's bodies those were.
Then a sudden silence filled the air. Only the heavy breathing of some people where left in the darkness.
Evelyn Crest searched for her bag which was lost during the fight just now. Luckily she found it at a short distance. She searched the bag in a hurry. She found four laterns in it. She pulled out one and light it up. A lantern flared to life. She looked around to see the dead bodies of the lizardmen all around her on the ground.
She searched for his comrades and he found out that all the others were alive and were staying close to the walls. She could see the confused look on all of their faces. She then heard someone breathing heavily behind him. She turned his latern around slowly to find Kael standing at a distance fully covered in wounds.
All eyes turned. Blood stripping from his wounds. Yet he stood firm holding his sword very tight in his hands. His expression was that of a madman creaving for blood. His eyes burned with something primal.
All of them were shocked. Among them Evelyn Crest frost in terror as she was closest to him. All of them hesitated to move because of fear. A few seconds later, the Captain grabbed the latern from her and moved closer to Kael. He was still standing there like a rock. He moved closer carefully and looked at Kael's bloodied face carefully. He put the latern very close to Kael's face to have a good look at him. They started at each other for sometime with silence, face to face.
Garrick said quietly."…Heal him."