The black-haired girl—clearly the most composed of the three—finally straightened, brushing a lock of damp hair behind her ear before stepping forward. Her eyes gleamed with intelligence beneath the glow of the cave lights.
"Hey there," she said with a confident but friendly smile. "I'm Aria. Mid-tier guild member, Aqua Fangs."
Rhys looked up from where he sat, the soft hum of his mana still faintly visible around his hand. "Rhys," he replied simply. "No guild affiliation."
Aria blinked, taken aback. "No guild? You're soloing this place?"
"Mostly," he said, tone calm, almost casual. "He helps." He nodded toward Moonbounce, who had returned to his resting position, pretending to ignore everyone while still keeping one eye half-open.
The red-haired girl crouched beside the turtle again, practically sparkling with energy. "You tamed him, right? That's insane! I've never seen a familiar with that kind of aura before."
