Inside the cabin, the atmosphere was pleasant. The warmth from the fireplace contrasted with the cold from outside that had slipped in before the door closed.

  "You finally woke up, Theoder."

  A gentle voice broke the silence.

  He looked at her and stood up from the bed he had been sitting on.

  "Thank you very much for helping me. Darik said you saved me while I was sleeping."

  Lyra smiled.

  "You don't need to thank me. It would've been dangerous to leave you like that."

  Lyra observed him for a few seconds. It was the first time she had seen him conscious. She slowly approached him and touched his chest. Theoder froze—he hadn't expected her to do that.

  "You're stable. That's a relief."

  Suddenly, the door burst open. Cold air rushed into the cabin again, this time along with Kael. His presence was immediately felt in the room.

  Lyra, who was still touching Theoder's chest, quickly pulled her hand back and took a small step away.

  "I see you're still alive, cripple."

  "What?"

  Theoder blinked in surprise.

  "Forgive the leader, he's a bit rough," Darik said.

  "Yeah, I noticed when he pointed his sword at me."

  Kael crossed his arms.

  "Still… I'm grateful. If it weren't for you, that wolf would've devoured me."

  Kael watched him for a few seconds before looking away.

  "So," Mira said, "where's my part of the reward?"

  Kael tossed a gold coin, and Mira caught it with sparkling eyes.

  "Perfect. With this I'll be able to buy a better bow."

  "What will the next mission be? I'd like to participate this time," Darik said.

  "We're going to hunt a dragon."

  Silence took over the room.

  "A dragon?" Darik raised an eyebrow. "Leader… isn't that a bit sudden?"

  "I know. But the pay is very good, and it will also serve to measure your abilities."

  Mira sighed.

  "Then I'll go prepare my things."

  "If the leader says so, we obey."

  "Perfect. We leave in a week."

  What about me? When I separate from this group… what will I do? I don't have a place to return to.

  "Theoder," Lyra gently tugged on his sleeve. "Let's go to the guild to register you."

  "Register me?"

  "You now belong to our group, Silver Wings. We need to make it official."

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  Theoder hesitated.

  "I… belong to your group?"

  Darik smiled faintly.

  "It's already decided. Without Lyra, you could explode at any moment."

  "And with the amount of divine power you have, you'll definitely be useful," Mira added. "Besides, we needed someone around Lyra's age."

  Lyra looked away.

  Kael fixed his eyes on Theoder.

  "Go get registered. For now, you'll be under my protection… and put on coats, it's cold outside."

  "Oh, so your soft side is showing, huh Kael?"

  "Shut up."

  "Come on, Theoder," Lyra said, pulling him by the hand toward the door.

  Outside the cabin, it was cold. Theoder and Lyra put on fur coats.

  They were standing on top of a small hill, and in the distance a city could be seen.

  "There's Arthera," Lyra said, pointing at it. "That's where we'll register you."

  Theoder narrowed his eyes.

  'A city… it looks nothing like the ones I know.'

  "Is it big?"

  "Yes. The largest one on the frontier."

  They walked for nearly an hour before reaching the city.

  The streets were made of stone. Banners with strange emblems hung everywhere. People in the streets carried swords and wore medieval clothing.

  'So this is normal here…'

  Lyra glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

  "First time in a city?"

  "Uh… yes, I think so."

  Soon they arrived at a large building made of stone blocks. Above the door hung a wooden sign with letters Theoder couldn't read.

  They both entered. The place smelled like old wood.

  There were several tables, a board full of papers pinned with small daggers, and a counter at the back.

  The place was almost empty. At one table, two men argued quietly about money, while another man ate a large plate of rice.

  "This is the mercenary guild. We earn money here in exchange for completing jobs. Sometimes we come here to eat too."

  "Welcome, youngsters," a woman said from behind the counter. "How can I help you?"

  Her hair was tied up in a bun, and she wore a green uniform.

  "Hi Clara, we came to register him," Lyra replied casually.

  The woman raised an eyebrow.

  "Well, it isn't little Lyra?"

  Her eyes moved to Theoder.

  "Is this your boyfriend?"

  "What?! No, not at all!"

  'Wow… now I feel insulted.'

  "Don't worry. If you're here, it's because your father accepted him, right?"

  "I'm telling you it's not like that," Lyra insisted, her face red.

  "Your father?"

  Theoder looked at Lyra with confusion.

  "What? You haven't introduced him? Kid, run before he kills you."

  "Clara!" Lyra shouted angrily.

  The situation was eventually clarified. After a few signatures and several uncomfortable questions, Clara stamped a seal onto a parchment.

  "Alright, with this your registration is complete. Welcome to the guild, Theoder."

  She handed him a small metal plate with the guild's emblem.

  "You now belong to the group Silver Wings. We look forward to working with you in the future."

  When they returned, a few meters away from the cabin, Mira was sitting on a log. In front of her, Kael and Darik stood in combat stances.

  "Guys, you arrived just in time. They're about to have a sparring match."

  Lyra and Theoder sat beside Mira.

  The two men were in fighting stances, staring at each other.

  "Show me your progress, Darik," Kael said.

  The snow cracked beneath Darik's feet as he lunged forward, throwing a punch straight at Kael's chest.

  Kael twisted his torso slightly.

  "Slow."

  He grabbed Darik's arm and shoved him back with force.

  Darik rolled through the snow, instantly getting back up and charging at Kael again.

  "The same thing again," Kael muttered while dodging.

  Darik smiled.

  "You fell for it, leader."

  His left fist changed direction at the last second.

  Kael, unable to dodge it, blocked the punch with his palm.

  Suddenly, a blue spark exploded between them. Small blue bolts shot out from Darik's fist. Electricity ran through Kael's arm, immobilizing him.

  His body tensed, and he fell to his knees.

  Light smoke rose from his clothes.

  "Match over," Mira said. "The winner is Darik."

  "Wow, I didn't know you had mastered that technique," Lyra said.

  "Ha, ha, I managed to do it recently."

  Kael slowly stood up.

  "Damn it, you didn't tell me."

  "It was a surprise, leader."

  Theoder approached Darik.

  "That was incredible. How did you do that? Can you teach me?"

  Theoder leaned slightly forward without realizing it. For an instant, the brown of his eyes darkened, and a faint red light glowed deep within his iris.

  "Relax, relax. That's my mark. It's not something you can learn."

  "Mark?"

  "Yes. It's my gift—Electric Conversion. I transform my divine power into electricity."

  Darik raised his hand, and small sparks ran across his fingers under Theoder's attentive gaze.

  Pure electricity shaped at will…

  "Amazing…" he murmured.

  Mira gave him a pat on the back.

  "Don't get your hopes up. Having a mark is extremely rare. Even among the most powerful clans, it's not common."

  So what Darik has… is exceptional talent.

  While all this was happening, a crow descended from the sky and landed in front of Kael. In its beak it carried a sealed letter. Kael took it without a word and read it silently under everyone's watchful gaze.

  "What is it?" Mira asked.

  Kael lowered the letter.

  "Headquarters wants us to go…"

  "When?" Darik asked.

  "Immediately."

  The atmosphere changed.

  "And the dragon?" Lyra asked.

  Kael folded the letter.

  "The dragon can wait. If headquarters is calling us… it means something serious is happening."