"Two damn days in a row," Kaito muttered, boots thudding up the marble steps of Brisden's Guild Hall. "Ain't even had time for breakfast, and now the Guildmaster wants us again."
Elenya trotted beside him, nibbling a roll she'd swiped from the inn. "You said yesterday he was nice!"
"I said he looked nice," Kaito corrected, pushing open the oak doors. "Ain't the same thing as wantin' to see him again before sunrise."
Talia chuckled softly as she followed. "You should be flattered, Kaito. Guildmasters don't usually call the same team twice unless it's serious."
Behind them, Darrun yawned like a growling bear. "If this ain't about beer or coin, I'm goin' back to bed."
Marin smirked and nudged him. "You won't. You're too nosy to sleep through a mystery."
When they entered the main hall, Mira waved them straight through. "The Guildmaster's waiting in his office."
Kaito sighed and tipped his hat down. "Well, guess that's our cue."
---
Inside, Guildmaster Arden Voss stood behind his desk, posture sharp but eyes kind. He motioned for them to step closer.
"Team Elysium," he began, "you've made quite an impression."
Kaito crossed his arms. "We just did what needed doin'."
Arden smiled faintly. "Perhaps. But you did it faster and cleaner than anyone expected. The capital took notice."
He pulled a parchment sealed with golden wax from his desk drawer.
"By the authority of the Royal Adventurer's Association, Team Elysium is hereby promoted to A-Rank. Congratulations."
The room froze.
Elenya's mouth fell open. "We're A-rank?! That means we're awesome now, right?"
Talia grinned and knelt to ruffle her hair. "It means you've earned respect, little one."
Darrun threw his head back and laughed, clapping Kaito on the shoulder. "Well I'll be damned, boss! Drinks are on you!"
Marin smirked. "Guess we're gonna have to start acting like professionals… or at least pretend to."
Arden chuckled softly before raising a hand. "Before you all celebrate, there's another reason you were called here."
He unfurled a large map across his desk, pointing to a city near the western edge of the kingdom. The ink marking it was new and uneven — Caelondria.
"This city lies on the borderlands," he said. "Caravans vanish, miners disappear, and strange lights have been seen in the hills. Local scouts whisper about shadowy figures moving in the forests."
Talia's expression darkened. "Demons?"
Arden hesitated. "That's one possibility."
Kaito blinked. "Demo—what now?"
All eyes turned to him.
He frowned. "Hold up. You mean like… horns, pitchforks, fire and brimstone type? Fallen angel kinda stuff?"
Marin tilted her head. "Fire and what?"
Talia gave him a puzzled look. "Demons are beings of corrupted mana — twisted souls from the Abyss. They feed on despair, chaos, and blood. The first Demon Lord nearly ended the world a thousand years ago."
Kaito scratched the back of his neck, uneasy. That sure as hell ain't what Pastor Bill used to preach.
He cleared his throat. "So, not the 'biblical' kind then. Got it. Whole different flavor of evil."
Arden's eyes narrowed slightly, curious — but he said nothing.
"Rumors claim," Arden continued, "that the cults operating in the frontier are trying to bring her back — the Demon Lord of the Abyss. She was defeated, but her remains were sealed, not destroyed. Now, signs point to resurrection attempts."
Marin's voice softened. "You think it's real?"
"I pray it isn't," Arden said grimly. "But we can't ignore it. Team Elysium, your new rank grants you the authority to operate across provinces. You're to deliver this letter to Caelondria's Guildmaster — Selena Varrin — and investigate the reports. Confirm what's true… and what's superstition."
He handed the sealed letter to Kaito, who turned it over in his hand, still processing everything. "Sounds like a whole lotta trouble for somethin' that might not even be real."
Arden gave him a knowing look. "Sometimes, Kaito, the scariest things start as rumors."
Talia crossed her arms. "We'll find the truth."
Darrun grunted. "And break a few skulls if we have to."
---
A few hours later, the group stood at Brisden's northern gate, horses saddled and gear packed. The rising sun painted the sky gold.
"Alright," Kaito said, tightening his reins, "A-rank or not, we stick close. No splittin' up, no gettin' fancy, and if somethin' looks off—we fall back."
Elenya raised a hand like she was in class. "What if it's just a bunny?"
"Then we leave the bunny alone and move on," Kaito deadpanned.
That earned a round of laughter, breaking the tension as the guards swung the gates open.
Beyond lay open fields rolling toward distant mountains — their peaks dark against the sky.
Talia guided her horse alongside Kaito's. "Do you really think it's demons?"
Kaito's brow furrowed. "I dunno. But if it is, they're not like the ones from Sunday school."
The wind picked up. Far ahead, on a craggy ridge, a figure stood cloaked in smoke — long dark hair flowing, eyes glowing faintly red. She smiled, whispering to the wind.
"So… the pawns have begun to move."
The mist swallowed her whole.
Kaito frowned and glanced toward the ridge. Nothing there.
"...Guess I'm seein' things," he muttered.
As the sun dipped lower, Team Elysium rode westward — unaware that the shadow of the Demon Lord herself had already noticed them.
---