Morning light spilled through the small cabin window, landing right on Kairo's sleepy face. He groaned, blinking a few times before realizing something unusual—
Rinn's bed was empty.
Kairo rubbed his eyes and muttered, "He left? What's he even doing this early…?"
A few minutes later, soft footsteps echoed behind him. Luna appeared, her long silver hair still messy from sleep, rubbing her eyes like a sleepy cat.
"Kairo… where's Rinn?" she asked in a half-yawn.
"No idea," Kairo said, cracking an egg into a pan. "Maybe he went to the guild."
Before Luna could reply, the door burst open with a BANG!
Rinn stood there, looking way too energetic for someone who just fought a dragon yesterday.
"Good morning, team! Guess what—we've got another mission!"
Kairo's spatula froze midair. "...Another mission? We literally fought a dragon yesterday, Rinn. My bones are still arguing with me about that."
Rinn just grinned. "Don't worry. This one's easy—and profitable. The guild's offering 500,000 Lunars if we complete it."
Kairo turned slowly, narrowing his eyes. "Five hundred thousand? For what, exactly? Are we escorting a royal dragon?"
"Close," Rinn said, crossing his arms proudly. "We're escorting a special kid to Valdorheim—the mining kingdom."
"Valdorheim?" Luna tilted her head."The miners who were attacked by the demons where from that kingdom."
"Exactly," Rinn said, nodding. "So it's a perfect chance to dig up clues about those attacks. Two birds, one stone."
Kairo sighed. "You just said 'dig up clues' because it's a mining kingdom, didn't you?"
Rinn smirked. "Maybe."
Luna chuckled softly. "Even if I'm not in the mood… a little adventure doesn't sound bad."
"Fine, fine," Kairo said, rubbing his temple. "Where's this kid anyway?"
"At the guild. We're supposed to meet him at noon," Rinn replied.
By noon, the trio arrived at the guild. Mira, the ever mocking secretary, guided them to a private room.
Inside sat a boy around sixteen with sky-blue hair and eyes as sharp as crystals. He examined the trio—and immediately frowned.
"These are my escorts?" he said with a scoff. "They look… weak. Especially the red-haired one. He looks stupid."
Rinn froze, twitching. "...Excuse me?"
Mira's smile stiffened as she whispered, "Rinn, please don't start a fight in the guild."
But Rinn was already cracking his knuckles. "For your information, you blue-headed brat, we are the ones who defeated that dragon that nearly flattened this town yesterday! So maybe show a little gratitude before I use you as a training dummy!"
The boy blinked, unimpressed. "You seem loud for someone who looks like he failed hero school."
Kairo buried his face in his hands. "It's barely noon and I already need another vacation…"
Then, the boy turned to Mira. "You said there were three of them. Where's the last one?"
Right then, Luna timidly peeked out from behind Kairo's shoulder.
The boy froze. His jaw dropped, and his eyes turned into sparkly hearts.
"An… angel?!" he gasped dramatically, dropping to one knee. "Beautiful lady, will you marry me right now?!"
Before anyone could react—SLAP!
The sound echoed through the room. The boy, now red-cheeked and dizzy, lay flat on the floor still smiling. "Heh… worth it…"
Mira coughed awkwardly. "Ahem… please ignore that. The mission will begin soon once preparations are made. Please wait outside until then."
As they left the room, Rinn grumbled, "If I knew we'd be escorting that brat, I would've rejected the mission."
Kairo shrugged. "Yeah, but five hundred thousand Lunars, remember? Just think of the cash."
Rinn sighed. "Yeah, yeah…"
Luna crossed her arms. "That boy is creepy. I don't like him."
Kairo chuckled, patting her head. "Don't worry. If he tries anything, I'll glare him to death."
Rinn blinked. "You mean literally, right?"
Kairo's eyes glowed faintly for a second. "...Maybe."
After an hour of preparation and some extra packing (mostly snacks that Luna insisted on bringing), they set off. The journey to Valdorheim would take six days.
Luna ended up riding in the carriage with Aster, while Kairo and Rinn walked beside it.
Inside, Aster sat beside Luna, trying his best to look charming. "So, Lady Luna… do you like poetry?"
"No."
"Music?"
"No."
"Hand-holding?"
SLAP!
Aster's head hit the carriage wall, but he still smiled dreamily. "She's… so strong…"
Luna huffed, "I'm only here because Kairo told me to. Try something stupid again, and he'll kill you."
Aster chuckled. "Kill me? Him? He doesn't seem that—"
He stopped. A chill ran down his spine. Slowly, he turned to the window.
Kairo was walking beside the carriage, staring straight in with glowing red eyes.
"You think so?" Kairo said in a low voice.
Aster immediately shrieked and sat upright like a soldier. "I WAS WRONG, SIR! VERY WRONG, SIR!"
That night, they made camp beneath a blanket of stars. Tents went up, the fire crackled, and Rinn's cooking filled the air with the scent of grilled meat and herbs.
After dinner, Rinn yawned. "I'll turn in early. Kairo, you got the first watch?"
"Yeah," Kairo said. "Go snore in peace."
Rinn stumbled into his tent and was out like a rock in seconds. Kairo sat under a tree, watching the flickering flames. The forest was quiet—too quiet.
A moment later, Luna walked over, holding a blanket. "Brother, aren't you sleeping?"
"Nah. Someone has to stay on guard."
She sat beside him, then without warning, rested her head on his lap. "Then I'll keep you company."
Kairo blinked, smiling softly. "You're hopeless." He brushed her hair gently as she fell asleep.
But then—
His eyes snapped open. A strange pressure filled the air, heavy and cold. Luna stirred too, eyes wide. "Brother… do you feel that?"
"Yeah," he said, standing up. "Stay here, Luna."
"No," she said firmly. "I'm coming with you."
He sighed. "Fine. Stay close."
They followed the aura through the trees until they saw it—
A boy with long blue hair, standing before a massive blue dragon under the moonlight.
"That's…" Luna whispered. "The dragon we fought."
Kairo tensed, watching carefully. But before they could move—snap!
Luna had stepped on a branch.
Both the dragon and the mysterious boy turned toward them. The dragon roared, spreading its wings and shooting into the sky. Kairo thrust out his hand, summoning a burst of wind—but it was too late. The dragon vanished into the clouds.
The blue-haired boy looked at them silently, his expression unreadable. Then, in a blink—he was gone.
Kairo stared at the spot where he stood, heart pounding. Then, something glowed nearby—a faint red light.
He approached and found a red orb, shaped like a teardrop, floating just above the ground. When he reached for it, it rose on its own, hovering over his palm.
Luna stepped closer. "It feels… alive."
Kairo stared at the orb, its light reflecting in his eyes. "Yeah… but why does it feel..."
The forest wind whispered around them, carrying a faint hum—like the heartbeat of something ancient was to fall upon them.Again
End of Chapter 5:The Escort From Hell