Solariis hadn’t yet peeked over the horizon, and two adventurers were already trudging through the gloomy depths of the Twilight Forest. Meet Jay, a human, and Layla, a kiteni.

  Jay was a tall guy, the kind of intriguing figure who looked like he’d stepped out of a heroic ballad. His long blue hair, tied back in a ponytail that kept it from staging a rebellion, cascaded down to his mid-back. His tanned skin screamed “I’ve survived a desert or two,” but his eyes? Oh, those were the real showstoppers: golden, glowing like they’d bottled the essence of Solariis itself, occasionally flashing with a warm, mysterious light.

  Layla, on the other hand, was a walking showcase of kiteni charm: wildly curly hair tumbling to her shoulders in a riot of red, gold, and brown, paired with delicate feline ears that twitched at every sound. Her lightly tanned skin, earned from endless journeys, bore faint scars—battle trophies she wore like badges of honor.

  They’d been slogging through the forest for a while now, battling the sticky humidity and dense undergrowth that made every step a chore. Worst of all, it was boring the pint-sized kiteni to death.

  “Jaaaaaay, how much longer till we reach this Buer guy’s hideout?”

  “Hm… Not long, I think. We just passed the last marker on the map. Should be just over those hills.”

  Layla’s fluffy tail bristled with excitement as she gripped her battle-axe, a wicked grin spreading across her face.

  “Ohhh, finally! I’m itching to take down a demon with a bounty this juicy!”

  “Okay, but keep your guard up, Layla. You’re making way too much noise…”

  Jay’s warning fell on deaf ears as the barbarian kiteni spun her axe with glee, practically skipping up the hill.

  As expected, the beast was lurking near an ancient tree. But to Jay’s surprise, it didn’t quite match the mission flyer’s description.

  “Huh… It’s all there… five spinning hooves, massive mane, lion-like head… But…”

  Layla cut him off, already prepping a sneak attack.

  “So what’s the problem? Let’s chop this thing up and—wait, what?! It’s not supposed to be that big, is it?”

  “Girl, I told you to keep it down—”

  “ROAAAAARRRR!!!”

  The roar tore through the air. The creature had spotted them.

  Layla let out a wild laugh, brandishing her war-axe and leaping at the beast with a pinpoint strike, unleashing all the fury her tiny, athletic frame could muster.

  The blow landed square on the feline demon, which could only howl in pain.

  Meanwhile, atop the hill, Jay’s fingers danced over the sacred tome floating before him. Its pages flipped rapidly until he found the attack prayer he needed. He chanted aloud, his voice ringing with the ancient Osandian tongue. With a flourish of his hands, a golden mandala formed in front of him, linking seven glowing sigils.

  From the forest canopy above, a beam of golden light slammed down onto the Buer, hitting it dead-on.

  The beast roared again, its body now scorched with holy burns.

  “Ha! How’s that, ‘Sir Paladin’? Showing off for the temple, huh, you smug jerk?”

  “Focus, Layla! This thing’s still kicking!”

  Layla’s eyes widened. The demon was glaring at her, now wreathed in dark, sinister energy.

  In a blur of motion, the beast spun its hooves around its head, cloaked itself in black flames, and charged at the unsuspecting kiteni. Jay, sensing disaster, reacted in a flash, casting a blessing that enveloped Layla in holy light for a fleeting moment.

  It was just enough to block a fatal strike.

  “T-Thanks, Jay… meow!”

  Jay rushed to her side, making sure she was okay. Then, with a swift gesture, he tore open a magical rift in the air, drawing his trusty sword: Visingr, the Hero’s Blade.

  “Layla, we underestimated this thing. It’s not just big—it’s strong.”

  “Uh… got it. I’ll be more careful now… sorry, meow…”

  “Strange for a demon like this to be this powerful… But don’t worry. We’ve got this.”

  Jay flashed a grin, and Layla felt her heart swell with confidence.

  The Buer, still burning with black flames, now sported a mocking sneer.

  “You thought you could uncover my master’s secrets?”

  Its voice echoed directly in their minds—harsh, beastly, and downright nauseating.

  “Mwahahaha! My master will use your hides for his experiments! Your eyes and entrails will be my feast!”

  Jay flipped through his tome with lightning speed.

  “So you’re the master’s little pet, huh? Interesting… didn’t know pets could talk, heh.”

  “PET?! How dare you! I am the mightiest of battle eidolons! Worms like you stand no chance against beings like me!”

  “Oh, an eidolon, huh? In that case, it’s a good thing your summoner’s not around, because…”

  With a quick gesture, Jay conjured a new mandala—this one emerald green. It shot like a bolt toward the creature’s legs.

  “…they can’t undo this simple spell. OSURII KASTATOMINGRR! (Binding Aura!)”

  “What?! Impossible! A low-level spell like that can’t hold me! Who are yo—”

  “LAYLA! NOW! HIT IT WITH THAT AXE SWING ONLY YOU CAN PULL OFF!”

  “Ohhh, you got it!! Take this, you knockoff lion!”

  Fueled by courage and adrenaline, Layla spun her axe with monstrous strength and charged the trapped beast. The strike sliced through the air, landing with deadly precision. The creature roared in fury and disbelief, its body torn apart by the kiteni’s brute force.

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  The Buer’s form dissolved into a cloud of crackling ash, leaving behind only a small purple crystal and a few severed strands of its mane.

  “Nice one, Laylie! You nailed it! Now let’s grab the loot and get outta here before its summoner notices their eidolon’s gone. You know what happens next…”

  “Hm… They come running, and we take them out too, duh.”

  “Exactly. Only because you’re so eager…”

  Suddenly, Layla spotted something inside the tree the creature had been guarding. The two approached cautiously. There was a crevice. Inside: an altar, ritualistic items, and… a prisoner.

  The girl was bound in an “X” shape, tied by her wrists, waist, and ankles. Layla gasped, covering her mouth in horror.

  “That’s awful! Why would someone keep a girl tied up like this?! That’s just cruel, meow!”

  Jay followed, his eyes now glowing silver.

  “J-Jay… Your eyes…?”

  “It’s a blessing. I’m checking for traps or magical wards. Looks clean… to clean.”

  Inside the crevice, they saw everything more clearly.

  “It’s a sacrificial altar,” Jay muttered. “Probably a warlock or one of the nefraii’s minions. That girl’s an elf… or maybe half-elf.”

  “What?! He’s going to kill her?”

  “If we don’t do something, yeah.”

  But why hasn’t he performed the ritual yet? From what I know, it’s supposed to be quick and discreet… Jay wondered, rummaging through his bag.

  “Meowww! We’ve gotta get her out of here! We can’t just leave her, Jay! I’m serious, meow!”

  “Yeah… That’s why I always carry a teleport scroll. It won’t take us far with three people, but it’ll do.”

  “Meow! Nice one!”

  Layla bounced with excitement, her claws gleaming as she sliced through the ropes binding the unconscious elf. In a flash, she hoisted the girl over her shoulders… then froze, eyes wide.

  “Meow! We can’t just take her to town naked like this! They’ll think we kidnapped an elven princess!”

  “Calm down, Layla.” Jay opened his bag and pulled out a rolled-up cloak. “I’ve got this. It’ll cover the essentials… I think.”

  “You sure? That thing doesn’t look big enough to cover your sense of decency.”

  “Just trust me.”

  Jay sighed, wrapping an arm around both girls and unrolling the scroll with his free hand, scanning the magical inscriptions like he was reading instant noodle instructions.

  “Alright, evacuation mode: activate.”

  As soon as the sigils were memorized, the scroll crumbled to ash, and a shimmering multicolored light enveloped them, turning their bodies into pure energy. In the blink of an eye—and with a faint whiff of something burnt—they appeared near the entrance to the capital, Edsoria.

  Layla stumbled two steps, glanced at the horizon, then at the ground…

  “…Meowargh!”

  She promptly hurled her entire lunch onto the road and shoved the elf into Jay’s arms, who caught her on reflex with a resigned look.

  “That’s what you get for teleporting after scarfing down seven meat skewers for breakfast…” Jay muttered, draping the cloak over the girl.

  Layla wiped her mouth with the back of her glove, still recovering, and squinted at the elf’s hair.

  “Hmm… Light-colored hair… but not blonde… or silver… Kinda greenish? Is that a thing?”

  “Half-elf, maybe…?” Jay tilted his head. “I’ve seen something like this before…”

  He paused.

  “No. Forget it.”

  He studied the girl’s face. Calm, serene, like she was dreaming of flowery meadows and dancing bunnies. But no matter how hard he tried, Jay couldn’t dredge up any useful memories—just more questions.

  “Either way…” he said, turning to Layla, “…we can’t just stroll around with a mysterious elf in our arms. That’ll draw more attention than you at the Moon Festival.”

  “Hey! Layla got third place in that dance contest!”

  “Exactly. We need to hide her. We’ll talk when she wakes up.”

  “Ugh… fine… But she’s so cute, meow…”

  Layla grinned, her eyes sparkling like she’d just adopted a new pet.

  “She’s an elf, Layla. What did you expect, an ogre with freckles?”

  “Hehe. You’re so mean to Layla. She has feelings, you know, meow!”

  With that, they trekked down the dirt roads to a tiny shack on the city’s outskirts. It was simple, practical, and absurdly cramped. One room, where beds, a wood stove, a desk, a wardrobe, a washbasin, and occasionally common sense all coexisted.

  Jay laid the elf on the bed with care, covering her like he was tucking away a secret. Layla, back in hyper mode, tossed her axe onto the other bed and grabbed two buckets with a makeshift yoke.

  “Alrighty, I’m off to fetch bathwater. I’m all sticky and gross. Ew. Sweat does not go with my feline charm!”

  She ran a finger along her hip with a dramatic grimace, as if trying to wipe away an invisible stain.

  “Wanna join me for a bath, Jay? Meow?”

  “Are you nuts? No way!”

  “Aww… in case the elf wakes up, right? That’d be so… educational.”

  She let out a mischievous giggle and skipped out with the buckets slung over her shoulders. Jay watched the door close, running a hand over his forehead.

  “That Layla… What’s she even thinking? Hmph. I’d better head to the guild as soon as she’s back… Maybe I’ll actually get a decent reward this time.”

  Muttering to himself, he started packing away his gear and prepping his bag. He’d need a bathhouse visit later too… before he started smelling worse than an ogre in leather armor on a sunny day.

  …

  Minutes later, the shack’s door flew open with a kick worthy of a clumsy heroine.

  “All done, Jaaaay! I’m back, victorious! Two buckets full of the freshest spring water, hehe!”

  “Perfect timing. I’m heading out to claim the reward.”

  “Aww… Meow…”

  “Take care of Sleeping Beauty, you crazy cat. Thanks, I’m off!”

  Jay rushed past her, still adjusting his bag, like the world would end if he didn’t reach the guild ASAP.

  Layla stood frozen in the doorway, balancing the buckets on the yoke like a festival vendor, staring into the void with a pout.

  “Hmph! Not this time either… Ugh… Fine. Guess I’ll wash up before this water gets cold. Hmph! Dummy… Jay’s such a lost cause, meow.”

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