The late morning sun hung heavy over the open fields of the Rosalie Colony, casting a golden glare across the abandoned wheat. The farming community had been evacuated in a hurry, leaving behind an eerie silence broken only by the pulsing hum of the Labyrinth entrance. It wasn't a cave or a hole in the earth; it was a vertical ripple in the air, a magical gate that distorted the scenery behind it like heat rising from a road, bleeding a faint, sickly violet light into the sky.
Alistair paced a tight circle near the shimmering rift, his face tight with frustration. "How long has it been now?" he asked, looking around the group, but no one answered him. He kicked at a stone, his voice rising. "We've been pranked. I'm telling you, this elf is back at the guild laughing while we bake in the sun. She probably never intended to show up."
"Taron said to meet her here," Jim said firmly, leaning against a wooden fence post. He didn't know the elf, and he didn't care for excuses, but his loyalty was to the Overseer. "Taron is a man of honor. He is the most respectful man I've met in the Guild Company, and he wouldn't send us to a gate to stand for nothing. If he said she is coming, she is coming."
Amala stood several paces away from the boys, her eyes fixed on Jim. She was of the Sundara clan, and instead of human hair, her head was crowned with rows of delicate, vibrant saffron flowers. The blossoms grew in thick, elegant lines from her scalp, their petals soft and fragrant, swaying slightly in the breeze. She watched Jim's steady profile. He was so focused on the mission, her heart fluttering with a mix of affection and irritation.
"I'm done with waiting," Izêm growled, the dark, swirling Innate patterns on his forearms pulsing with his rising temper. "I don't care how many centuries she's been an adventurer. When this 'old elf' finally decides to show up, I'm going to tell her exactly what I think of her leadership. High-rank or not, she's late, and I'm going to show her that the new generation has more respect for time than she does."
The words had barely left his lips when the air around the magical gate began to shimmer more intensely.
A figure emerged from the farm path, moving with a grace that felt both predatory and celestial. The boys were struck dumb instantly, their eyes starting at her feet. She wore sandals made of silver-threaded leather that wound elegantly up her slender ankles, her steps so light that the dusty path didn't even seem to puff up around her. As she walked, the hem of her dress—a fabric that looked like it was woven from morning mist and emerald leaves—swirled around her calves, revealing the lithe, perfect curve of her legs.
As she drew closer, Izêm's bravado evaporated. His gaze traveled up to the silver-thread belt that cinched her narrow waist, highlighting a frame that seemed impossibly slender. Her wide, flowing sleeves draped down like the wings of a swan, swaying with a rhythm that felt like music.
Jim found himself staring at her face, his breath hitching in his chest. Her flawless, pale skin had a soft, golden undertone that seemed to catch the sun's rays. Her high cheekbones and delicate nose led to full, pale-pink lips held in a quiet, regal grace. Finally, he met her eyes—mesmerizing emerald gemstones that glowed with a faint, enchanted light. Her silver-white hair cascaded down her back like a shimmering waterfall of silk, reflecting the violet pulses of the gate behind her.
Izêm stood frozen, his mouth slightly open. Alistair's competitive edge vanished into a daze of pure awe. Even Jim, the most grounded of the four, couldn't pull his eyes away from the beauty standing before them.
Amala felt a hot, stinging wave of jealousy. She saw the look on Jim's face—a look of total, breathless wonder. Why can't you ever look at me like that? she thought bitterly to herself. I'm standing right here!
Unable to contain her frustration, she marched forward and slammed her shoulder hard into Jim's side, jolting him out of his trance.
"Ow! Amala, what was that for?" Jim hissed, rubbing his arm and turning a deep red as he realized he'd been staring.
The elf didn't say a word. She simply stopped before the gate, her distant, emerald gaze sweeping over the four of them as if they were merely part of the afternoon shadows.
The violet ripple of the gate hummed behind her, but the silence she brought with it was even heavier. Galya's gaze shifted slowly toward Izêm, her emerald eyes unreadable.
"I believe I heard someone mentioning a lesson," she said, her voice like the chime of silver bells—smooth, cold, and melodic. "So, 'tough guy,' who is it you intended to teach?"
Izêm froze. The bold warrior who had been boasting moments ago was now pale, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard. The natural patterns on his skin seemed to shiver. "I... I meant the monsters, Ma'am," he stammered, his face twitching with a nervous, forced grin. "The monsters in the Labyrinth. I'm just... eager to get to work."
Alistair let out a sharp, mocking snort. "Coward," he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for the group to hear.
"Who are you calling a coward?!" Izêm snapped, his face turning from pale to a heated red as he turned on Alistair. "Say it to my face!"
"Stop it, both of you," Jim interrupted, stepping between them. He turned toward the elf, trying to regain his composure. "Ma'am, we are already hours behind the other squads. Edward, Gunter, and Valeria have a massive head start. Do you have a plan to help us catch up?"
The elf turned her mesmerizing gaze toward Jim.
"Call me Galya," she said simply. "And do not fret. I have reviewed your guild records and performance history. I know exactly what you are all capable of, so I am not worried about our pace."
She turned her back to them, looking into the shimmering violet rift.
"The other squads are wasting time clearing the outer paths and the easy hallways," Galya continued, her tone indifferent. "They are playing it safe on the surface levels. We are going straight to the lower depths where the mana is thickest. Follow me."
Without waiting for a response, she stepped into the ripple of light and vanished.