The morning sun was warm and bright as Kaelen walked toward the Jade Blossom Pavilion.
His cloak fluttered slightly in the soft breeze. His sword rested quietly against his back. His steps were calm, steady, and patient, as always.
After his master's death, Kaelen had changed.
He no longer cared about warmth.
He no longer sought company.
He had embraced coldness, like an armor around his heart.
The Jade Blossom Pavilion was one of the key places for disciples of the Mystic Dawn Pavilion. It was where they accepted missions, earned merit points, and gathered experience. Missions could range from escorting merchants to hunting beasts, or even gathering rare herbs in dangerous areas.
Kaelen needed a mission.
Not for fame.
Not for glory.
But because he needed resources.
Strength needed a foundation. Cultivation needed resources. It was that simple.
As he approached the Pavilion, he saw several disciples already gathered outside. They were chatting, laughing, showing off their shiny weapons or fancy robes. Some glanced at Kaelen as he passed, but quickly looked away when they met his calm, sharp gaze.
Kaelen ignored them.
He stepped into the Pavilion.
Inside, the Jade Blossom Pavilion was bright and clean. Beautiful paintings of mountains and rivers lined the walls. A large mission board stood at the far end, filled with papers pinned neatly across it. Each paper detailed a mission, along with rewards and risks.
Kaelen walked up to the board and began reading carefully.
He didn't rush.
He didn't care about how exciting the mission sounded.
He wanted a mission that was useful — one that would help him grow stronger.
As he scanned the board, he heard footsteps approaching.
He didn't turn.
But when he heard a familiar voice behind him, he sighed inwardly.
"So you're here too..." came a voice — half surprised, half awkward.
Kaelen turned slightly.
Standing a few steps behind him was Selene.
Her silver hair was tied neatly today. She wore light armor that shimmered slightly under the sunlight. Her sword hung at her waist. Her cheeks were slightly red, and she wasn't meeting his eyes directly.
Kaelen looked at her for a moment.
Then he turned back to the mission board.
After a few seconds of silence, he spoke quietly.
"Why are you still here?"
Selene flinched slightly, as if she hadn't expected him to be so blunt.
"I—I'm here for a mission too!" she said quickly, her voice a little higher than usual.
Kaelen didn't react.
He simply picked a mission slip from the board — a beast subjugation mission in the nearby Wyrmwood Forest.
He studied it silently.
Selene stepped closer, almost nervously.
Kaelen glanced at her again, his voice calm but slightly sharp.
"You're from the Ithryan Order," he said. "You can't take missions from the Mystic Dawn Pavilion."
It wasn't a question.
It was a statement of fact.
Disciples from different orders had strict boundaries. They couldn't just take each other's missions without permission.
Selene puffed up her cheeks in frustration.
"I can take whatever I want!" she snapped, crossing her arms.
Kaelen raised an eyebrow slightly.
Selene quickly added, "I already received permission from my master, William, so it's allowed!"
Her voice was firm, as if daring him to challenge her.
Kaelen looked at her for a long moment.
Then he turned away without saying anything.
He placed the mission slip he had chosen into the acceptance box and started to walk away.
Selene hurried after him.
"Hey! Where are you going?" she asked, trying to keep up with his longer strides.
"To prepare," Kaelen said simply.
"For what?"
"For the mission."
Selene bit her lip.
She glanced down at the mission slip in her own hand. It was for the same area — Wyrmwood Forest.
A strange look crossed her face.
Kaelen noticed but didn't say anything.
Selene hesitated for a moment, then blurted out, "Maybe we should... you know... team up?"
Kaelen stopped walking.
He turned to face her.
His expression was calm. Almost unreadable.
"Why?"
Selene shifted on her feet awkwardly.
"I mean... it's dangerous to go alone, right?" she said quickly. "There are wild beasts, and maybe rogue cultivators too. It's safer to work together."
Kaelen looked at her for a long time.
His mind moved quickly.
Selene was skilled. She had potential. But she was emotional, reckless.
Would she slow him down?
Would she cause problems?
He weighed the risks carefully.
Finally, he spoke.
"If you slow me down, I'll leave you behind," he said coldly.
Selene's eyes widened.
Then she smiled — a little proud, a little stubborn.
"I won't slow you down," she said.
Kaelen didn't answer.
He turned and kept walking.
Selene took that as agreement and hurried after him, a determined look on her face.
The sun rose higher as they left the Pavilion grounds.
The path to Wyrmwood Forest was a winding trail through hills and streams. Birds sang in the trees. The air was fresh and cool.
Kaelen walked in front.
Selene followed a few steps behind, trying her best not to make too much noise.
For a long time, they didn't speak.
Only the sound of boots on dirt and the gentle whisper of the wind filled the air.
After a while, Selene broke the silence.
"You're always like this?" she asked, half curious, half annoyed.
"Like what?" Kaelen replied without turning.
"Cold. Silent. Acting like you don't care about anything."
Kaelen didn't answer immediately.
He stepped carefully over a fallen branch and kept moving.
Inside his mind, a question rose quietly:
"Was I always cold to others?"
For a moment, Kaelen slowed.
He remembered faint images — laughter, conversations, warmth shared with his master.
But then he brushed the thought aside.
The past was gone.
Softness was a weakness he could no longer afford.
Finally, he said in a low voice, "Talking doesn't make you stronger."
Selene was silent for a moment.
Then she sighed dramatically.
"You're no fun at all," she muttered.
Kaelen ignored her.
Fun wasn't something he was looking for.
Not now.
Maybe not ever.
As they continued through the forest, the trees grew thicker.
The ground was covered in fallen leaves, and strange bird cries echoed overhead.
Selene tried to make conversation again, her voice lighter.
"So... have you been on many missions before?"
"A few," Kaelen answered simply.
Selene grinned. "Let me guess. You completed them all without saying a word."
Kaelen didn't respond.
Which, ironically, proved her point.
Selene laughed softly.
They walked for another hour in comfortable silence, broken only by the sounds of nature around them.
Finally, as the sun dipped slightly lower, they saw smoke rising in the distance.
A small village.
Simple wooden houses surrounded by fields.
Children played near the entrance. Farmers worked quietly in the fields. A few old men sat together, talking.
Kaelen and Selene entered the village calmly.
The villagers paused and looked at them — strangers were rare here — but seeing their robes and swords, the villagers quickly grew respectful.
Kaelen approached an older man sitting by a well.
The man looked up, squinting in the afternoon sun.
"You from the MDP?" the old man asked.
Kaelen nodded.
"We're here about the recent monster activity," he said calmly. "We want information."
The old man scratched his beard thoughtfully.
"Aye... it's been worse these past few weeks," he said. "Wild beasts prowlin' closer at night. Some say even spirit beasts have been spotted... ones that should be deep inside the forest, not near the village."
Kaelen listened carefully.
"Any attacks?" he asked.
The old man shook his head.
"Not yet. But we lost some livestock. Tracks too large for normal beasts. Folks are scared."
Kaelen's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Direction?"
The old man pointed toward the dense part of the Wyrmwood Forest, where the trees turned darker and thicker.
"Deep west," he said. "Near the old ruins."
Kaelen thanked him with a nod.
Selene crouched down and whispered to a little girl playing nearby, making her giggle.
Kaelen watched quietly.
Then he turned toward the forest edge again.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Author's Note:
Thank you for reading and supporting my novel.
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— KaelenDusk