Golden sunlight filtered through the curtains, the morning rays mixed with faint blue and purple hues from the aether street lamps outside. The light bounced off Kaelen's face, pulling him from sleep with gentle insistence.
He groaned, the warmth refusing to let him sink back into rest. His eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the brightness.
The first thing he saw was Lira.
She sat on the edge of his bed, her hand moving through his hair in slow, gentle strokes. Her copper braid fell over one shoulder, catching the morning light.
"Aaaaaahhhhh—"
Lira's hand clamped over his mouth before the scream could fully form.
"Don't scream," she said, fighting back laughter.
The moment her palm pressed against his lips, Kaelen felt the absurdity of the situation overwhelm any sense of alarm. His tongue, acting on pure reflex and mischief, licked her palm.
Lira yanked her hand back immediately, breaking into uncontrollable laughter. "Stop it," she managed between gasps, wiping her hand on her pants.
Kaelen sat up, bewildered and still half-asleep. "Why are you in my room?"
"You didn't have to lick my palm," Lira said, ignoring his question completely. She was still laughing, the tickling sensation lingering.
"Why are you in my room?" he repeated, more insistent this time.
Lira composed herself enough to answer. "I texted but you weren't responding, so I came over. Your mom said you were still asleep, and it's getting close to noon already."
"Yeah." Kaelen rubbed his face, feeling the soreness in his muscles from yesterday's fight. "I still feel sore from all that fighting."
"Weakling," Lira teased.
Kaelen decided not to argue. He was too tired for their usual banter.
"Are you taking quests today?" Lira asked, her tone shifting to something more serious.
"I don't know. Are you?" Kaelen redirected.
"You didn't have to redirect the question, you know?"
"I will be at the Ash Guild today," Kaelen said, getting up and grabbing a towel from his closet.
"For a quest?" she asked.
"Yeah and no." He moved toward the bathroom. "Will you come?"
"Beg me till your lips bleed." Lira puffed her chest forward in an exaggerated show of pride.
Kaelen sighed, but it turned into a smile. "Oh great goddess of the benevolent sky, please escort your humble servant to the guild." He dropped to one knee dramatically, hands clasped in mock prayer.
Lira burst out laughing at his performance. "Ok, ok. If you beg me that hard, it's impossible to refuse."
"Let me wash up and we'll leave."
...
Kaelen headed to the bathroom, leaving Lira in his room. The door closed behind him with a soft click.
While brushing his teeth, he noticed a notification blinking at the corner of his vision. The familiar blue shimmer of the System interface.
"I missed a message?" he muttered around his toothbrush.
He opened it mentally.
[New Quest Assigned: End Of A Solo Life]
[Classification: Side Quest]
[Type: Mandatory]
[Difficulty: ???]
[Objectives:
- Form a registered party (0/1)
- Defeat 50 beasts while in formed party (0/50)
- Defeat at least 10 E-rank beasts (0/10)]
[Rewards: +2500 XP | +5 Stat Points | +1500 SP]
[Time Limit: None]
"Whaaa—"
Kaelen's reaction cut off as he processed the requirements. Perfect timing with Lira's suggestion yesterday. But mandatory? The System had never been this direct before.
He finished washing up, the notification still hovering at the edge of his thoughts.
...
Kaelen came out of the bathroom expecting to find Lira still in his room. She wasn't there.
He dressed quickly in black joggers and a white shirt, then headed downstairs.
He stopped at the kitchen entrance.
Lira, his mother, and Jay stood together in the kitchen. All three were cooking and talking like old friends, their movements coordinated in the small space.
The comfortable domesticity of the scene caught him completely off guard.
Warm morning light filled the kitchen through the window. The smell of home-cooked food, hung in the air.
Kaelen approached, still processing Jay's unexpected presence.
"Morning, Mom," he said, moving to hug Seren.
Seren returned the embrace warmly. "Finally awake."
Kaelen looked over at Jay with visible surprise. "I didn't expect to see you here."
Jay grinned while stirring something on the stove. "Well, Lira was coming over. Clearly she needs me, so I thought I'd tag along."
Lira sighed with a look that said, 'Why did you follow me?'
Jay ignored it completely, too focused on helping with breakfast.
...
The three women worked with easy coordination.
Lira handled the synth-meat strips, somehow making them smell genuinely appetizing. Jay managed the grain porridge, her earth affinity apparently helping her sense when things were properly cooked. Seren orchestrated everything with the efficiency of years spent making do with limited resources.
Kaelen felt oddly out of place in his own kitchen.
"Can I help?" he offered.
"No," all three women said simultaneously.
He stepped back, slightly intimidated.
...
They gathered around the small kitchen table.
The food was simple but well-made. Meat strips seasoned with actual herbs instead of the usual bland salt. Grain porridge with flavor that didn't taste like cardboard. Fresh fruits that must have cost extra.
Jay took her first bite and her eyes widened.
"Mrs. Burn, this is incredible," Jay said genuinely. "The seasoning... how did you make synth-meat taste like this?"
Seren smiled, pleased. "Years of practice making do with what's available. You learn tricks."
"It's better than most restaurants in the upper tiers," Jay continued. "Seriously, you could sell this."
"That's what I keep telling her," Lira added.
Seren waved them off, but Kaelen could see she was genuinely touched by the compliment.
...
The meal continued with easy conversation.
Jay shared a story about a cooking contest she'd entered where people almost died from food poisoning because someone mistook cleaning solution for cooking oil.
Lira recounted how Kaelen once tried to "repair" their stove and made it worse.
Kaelen protested. "I fixed it eventually."
"After three days," Lira countered.
Seren laughed, the sound bright and genuine.
Kaelen realized how rarely he heard his mother laugh like this. The weight she usually carried worrying about bills, about him, about their situation seemed lighter this morning.
...
They cleared the table together.
Jay insisted on washing dishes despite being a guest. "I break things less when I clean than when I cook," she explained.
Lira dried while Seren put things away. Kaelen found himself relegated to "moral support," which apparently meant staying out of the way.
He didn't mind. Watching the three of them work together with the ease of people who genuinely enjoyed each other's company felt good in a way he couldn't quite explain.
...
After cleanup, Seren excused herself. She had to get to the hospital for her shift.
She hugged Kaelen. "Be safe today, whatever you're planning."
"I will," he promised.
"That's a lie, but I appreciate the effort. And don't come home covered in that dark thing again." She smiled knowingly.
After she left, the three of them settled in the small living area.
Kaelen's mind returned to the System quest and Lira's suggestion from yesterday.
"Lira," he started, then paused, trying to find the right words.
She looked up from where she'd sprawled on the couch.
"I've been thinking about what you said."
"Woah, Lira confessed her feelings," Jay cut in.
"No, Jay," Lira said with a sigh.
"About taking missions together," Kaelen continued. "And I want to form an official party. With you."
Before Lira could respond, Jay sat up straight.
"Wait, like a registered adventurer party?"
"Yeah," Kaelen confirmed.
"Can I join?" Jay asked immediately, her enthusiasm breaking through her usual casual demeanor.
Lira turned to stare at her. "Jay, we just discussed forming a party. As in, Kaelen and I."
"I know," Jay said. "But three is better than two. You know this."
"We don't know if Kaelen even wants—" Lira started.
"I don't mind," Kaelen interrupted.
Both women looked at him.
He continued. "You two work well together. I saw that yesterday, even just from how you talked about the wolf hunt. And honestly, having someone with earth manipulation would balance out our skill sets."
Jay pumped her fist. "Yes! I promise I won't be deadweight."
"You're an E-rank," Lira pointed out. "You're objectively stronger than both of us individually."
"Then it's settled?" Jay looked between them hopefully.
...
Lira was quiet for a moment, thinking.
Kaelen could see her working through it. This was supposed to be her and Kaelen.
But Jay wasn't wrong. Three was more stable than two. And despite Jay's chaotic energy, she was competent. More than competent.
"Okay," Lira finally said. "But we have to do this properly. Official registration."
"Absolutely," Kaelen agreed.
Jay nodded seriously, her usual playfulness momentarily replaced by genuine seriousness.
"We'll need a party name," Jay said.
"Let's handle registration first," Lira countered. "Names can wait."
"But names are important," Jay argued.
"Registration first," both Kaelen and Lira said simultaneously.
Jay sighed dramatically but conceded.
...
"Should we change?" Lira asked, looking down at her casual clothes.
"We're just registering, not taking a mission immediately," Jay pointed out.
"Still, we should look presentable."
"You want to impress the guild staff?" Jay teased.
"No... Forget it." Lira stood, giving up the argument.
...
They boarded the hover-car heading to the sixth tier.
It was moderately crowded with midday traffic. Workers traveling between districts, a few adventurers in various states of equipment maintenance.
They found seats near the back.
"So," Jay said once they were settled. "Ground rules. We should establish them before registration."
"Good idea," Lira agreed.
They spent the transit ride hammering out basics.
Profit sharing would be equal three-way split, regardless of who landed killing blows or harvested materials. Decision making would be majority vote, but the person with most relevant expertise got weighted input. Leadership would be situation-based, determined by mission type rather than fixed hierarchy.
By the time they reached the sixth tier, they had a workable framework.
...
The Ash Guild building loomed before them, impressive as always.
They pushed through the entrance together.
The lobby was busy. Adventurers clustered around mission boards, others sat at tables discussing contracts or comparing equipment. The professional atmosphere hummed with quiet energy.
Several people glanced their way. Some recognition in the looks, probably from yesterday's dramatic blood-covered entrances.
May was at the main desk. Her eyes lit up with recognition when she saw them.
"Mr. Kaelen, Miss Lira," she greeted. Then, noticing Jay, "And you must be Miss Jay from yesterday."
"That's me," Jay confirmed cheerfully.
"How can I help you today?" May asked.
"We want to register a party," Kaelen said.
May's expression shifted to something between surprise and approval. "All three of you?"
"Yes."
"Excellent. Give me a moment to pull up the registration forms."
...
May navigated her terminal with efficiency. A holographic interface bloomed above her desk, and she handed them a printed form for initial review.
"Party registration requires several components," she explained. "Individual verification, role assignment, legal agreement signing, and naming."
"We haven't decided on a name yet," Lira admitted.
"That's fine. You can register provisionally and update the name within seven days."
May pulled up their individual profiles.
"Mr. Kaelen Burn, F-rank adventurer, registered three days ago."
"Miss Lira Venn, F-rank adventurer, eligible for E-rank promotion pending examination."
"Miss Jay..." May paused. "I don't have you in our system."
Jay blinked. "Oh. Right. I'm registered with Hermit Guild."
"You'll need to transfer registration to Ash Guild for party formation here, or we can do cross-guild registration, which is more complicated. Both options work as long as you're not under contract with the Hermit Guild."
Jay looked at Lira and Kaelen. "Transfer's fine. Hermit was just convenient, not a contract thing."
"Understood. That will take about thirty minutes to process."
...
While May processed Jay's transfer, the three of them moved to the waiting area.
Comfortable chairs arranged around low tables. Other adventurers occupied some seats, reviewing mission parameters or resting between contracts.
"Well, this is happening," Lira said quietly.
"Second thoughts?" Kaelen asked.
"No. Just... it feels significant."
"Because it is," Jay said. "Party bonds matter in this life. You're saying you trust these people to have your back when things go wrong."
They sat in silence for a few minutes.
Kaelen's mind drifted to the System quest. Fifty beasts total, ten of them E-rank. With three of them working together, that was achievable. More than achievable, actually.
...
May called them back to the desk.
"Transfer complete. Miss Jay, you're now registered with Ash Guild. Your E-rank status is maintained."
"Perfect."
"Now for party formation. I'll need you to review and sign the standard party contract."
She handed them a document, several pages of legal text laid on the desk before them.
Lira read it carefully, her eyes tracking each clause. Jay skimmed, trusting the standard format from previous party experience. Kaelen tried to read but the legalese made his eyes glaze over.
"It's standard," May assured him. "Liability waivers, profit distribution frameworks, dissolution procedures."
"Dissolution?" Kaelen asked.
"In case the party breaks up," May explained gently. "It's just protocol. Most parties never use those clauses."
They signed.
"Role assignments?" May prompted.
They looked at each other.
"Kaelen's versatile, so striker," Lira suggested.
"I'm primary defense and area control," Jay added.
"I'll take ranged damage dealer and support," Lira concluded.
May inputted the roles. "These aren't rigid, but they help with mission matching and party composition balancing."
"Party leader designation?" May asked.
Silence.
Kaelen looked at Lira. Lira looked at Jay. Jay looked at Kaelen.
"No designated leader," Lira finally said. "But we'll designate one based on the mission."
"That's... unusual, but acceptable," May said. "It will require all three signatures for mission acceptance instead of just one."
Kaelen and Lira nodded agreement.
May made the notation.
...
"Your party is now registered," May announced. "Provisional designation ANX-7114 until you submit an official name."
The weight of it settled over them. They were official now. A registered party in the Adventurer's Guild system.
"You have seven days to submit an official party name," May reminded them.
"Understood," they said together.
"Congratulations," May said with a genuine smile. "Parties have a higher mission completion rate than solo adventurers. You've made a smart choice."
"Want to take a mission to celebrate?" Jay asked with a grin.
Kaelen checked the time. Early afternoon, plenty of daylight left.
"Maybe something small," he suggested.
"Something that won't leave us covered in blood this time," Lira added pointedly.
They all laughed, moving toward the mission boards together.
Their first steps as an official party.