A month vanished like mist in sunlight.
Kael stood before the mission board in the Mission Hall—a massive holographic display that dominated the entire eastern wall, scrolling with available quests in a rainbow of difficulty colors. Green for easy. Yellow for moderate. Orange for hard. Red for potentially lethal.
The Hall was packed. Gold, Silver, and Bronze students jostled for position, arguing over quest selections, forming groups, breaking groups, reforming groups with different members. The noise was deafening.
Sage pressed against his left side. Rue pressed against his right.
"Outdoor mission," Sage murmured. Her tail brushed his thigh. "Maybe somewhere remote and private."
"Beast cores pay well," Rue added, her voice smaller than her sister's but no less intent. "The northern forests have good hunting grounds and are very secluded."
Kael smiled.
He knew exactly what they wanted. A mission in the wilderness, away from the academy, away from prying eyes...
Appealing.
