The dropship hummed low as it cut through the morning haze, the jungle canopy below thick and endless. Celestiala's outskirts had always been considered quiet, but the recent disappearance of three D-Rank sorcerers had changed everything.
The sky turned gray. The clouds stretched across the eerie atmosphere.
I sat across from Toho, his expression excited and jumpy. Terra checked her blade for the fourth time, and Lucian… well, he hadn't moved since we boarded—arms crossed, eyes closed, like he was somewhere else entirely.
Gohan's voice crackled through the comm before deployment: "Mission parameters are simple. Locate the missing sorcerers. Identify the threat. If hostile, neutralize. If retrieval is possible, extract the team. This isn't a training sim; this is the real deal. Watch each other's backs. This was identified as a D or C-Rank mission, so it's within your analyzed potential. This is your one chance to prove you can handle real missions."
The hatch hissed open. The jungle swallowed us instantly. The fall made our hearts drop. The coldness clung to our skin; the wind hit like sharp needles. The sound made our eardrums almost pop.
I was the first to land, neatly. I extended my arms to create drag and slow my fall, then turned just before I landed and planted my one knee on the ground, landing in a crouched position. Toho followed suit, along with Terra, who struggled and slipped upon landing. Lucian, to my surprise, landed without any trouble. Humidity warped around my skin. The trees were tall and gnarled, their branches laced with vines.
Terra took the lead, sweeping through the foliage. "Eyes sharp. Gohan emphasized the strength of the Marks and their gang, especially their leader. " My eyes narrowed in surprise. I wasn't expecting Terra to take the lead. We found signs of a struggle not far in, scorched bark, broken steel, and a cracked communication beacon buried in the mud. Toho knelt beside it, frowning.
"No bodies," he said. "That's either good or very, very bad."
Lucian pointed ahead. "Tracks. Fresh."
Terra tried retaking the lead; however, Lucian pushed her aside.
"How about you let the big sorcerer take the lead now that we're getting closer?" Lucian remarked, sending an evil smirk.
Terra scoffed, "Fine, knock yourself out."
Following Lucian led us to an overgrown stone structure, half-sunken, vine-choked. A few guards, dressed in dark robes, stood watch. They weren't just sentries. They were Mark-affiliated. We engaged quickly, efficiently, and with focus. It felt like the Academy drills meant something for once.
"I'll take the two on the right. Zero, come with me." Terra ordered.
Toho and Lucian grouped and targeted the remaining two on the left side of the massive staircase leading to the temple's entrance.
Terra activated her Innate Technique: Gale Ward.
Gale Ward - Once activated, the user and their allies gain faster reaction speed and lighter steps, allowing for greater stealth and agility. More of a support Innate Technique.
I felt the effects of Gale Ward instantly. My body felt lighter, more shifty. Its effects would increase speed, maybe not as much as Light Step, but still a decent boost. Terra prepared to blitz the guards.
"Ready?" She whispered. Her green eyes glowed a deep, forest green color, contrasting with her silky, dark hair that cascaded down past her elbows.
I responded with a simple, yet confident, "Ready."
I followed Terra's lead as she swiftly sped into the open, her eyes never leaving sight of the guards. Before the guards could even notice, it was too late. When it was over, Terra stood breathing hard, two Marks down at her feet.
She looked toward the ruin's edge. "We keep moving."
I was surprised; I didn't even lift a finger. She is a trained fighter with some experience, judging by the way she took down the guards. Not a lot of experience, but some for sure. Terra and I continued our march upward the wide staircase towards the entrance. Once we reached the top, we saw Lucian and Toho already there, inspecting a large lock on the equally large gates.
"What's this?" I questioned.
"Well, dumbass, you have eyes, so can't you see? It's a lock, and it needs a damn big key." Lucian snapped. We stood upon the base of the gates. We felt like insects standing before it.
Toho tried punching the lock a few times, but it didn't have much effect. Lucian fell back a little and was preparing some spell to blast the whole damn thing.
Then... through the corner of my eye, I noticed him. My body moved on pure instinct and grabbed Terra and Toho out of the way. Just before Lucian released his spell, we heard a voice call out to us from the bottom of the staircase.
"Looking for this?"
We spun around. A tall man in a dark coat leaned against a tree, twirling a large metallic object, the key. "Such enthusiasm from Academy brats," he smirked. "But you're in over your heads." He continued. "I'm Aldren," he said. "Right hand of the boss. And you're not getting in there without going through me."
Toho cracked his knuckles. Terra's blade ignited. Lucian's coat billowed as he stepped forward.
"Wait, wait!" I stepped forward. "We don't want conflict. We only want to take our fellow sorcerers back."
Aldren let out a long hum, "Not possible. They were trying to interfere in our business." His voice turned cold. "The boss isn't gonna let them off free."
"Well, convince him. We don't want a fight here." I respond, trying to stay reasonable.
"Maybe you don't, but I, on the other hand... I'm itching for this."
"Listen-" I respond, trying to de-escalate the situation; however, Lucian pushes me aside with a glare.
"You want a fight? You must be pretty dumb if you wanna take all of us on." Lucian shouts out. I can already feel Lucian gathering Fire Essence into his fingertips.
Aldren laughs, a menacing laugh, "Incorrect. You must be dumb if you want to take me on." He tilts his head, grinning at us from below. Tessa reignited her blade once again. Toho had already coated his fists in Pure Essence, and Lucian was preparing a spell.
I let out a sigh, 'Damn it.' I kept thinking to myself, 'We could have maybe avoided fighting, but it's all gone to shit now."
Lucian tightly grabbed my shoulder and whispered a warning into my ear, "You get in my way, you're dead... You damn Kuro."
Aldren used some sort of Spatial Essence spell, and the large key vanished. He clenched his fists with a smile.
I knock Lucian's hand off my shoulder and begin coating my body in Pure Essence. This fight could have been avoided, but it wasn't. There isn't much else we can do anymore, except...
Fight!