Drake Sapphirús
I've lived ignoring, almost unintentionally, the world around me. I don't know why this city is known for its trade in jewelry, metals, and food brought in from the neighboring town. I had never wondered why you almost never see other races here, or why most of the residents are adults rather than young people running around in the streets. It's not entirely my fault. I grew up surrounded by love and understanding, protected by my family, far from evil and the weight of reality. My world was simple, small… safe.
But now I'm starting to notice cracks in that bubble. I remember what Ravenscroft said, perhaps jokingly: You'll learn to appreciate what you have when you open your eyes. And he was right. An accident, the training, and my first hunting lessons forced me to see beyond.
Even in everyday life, there are details that once seemed irrelevant to me. Education, for example: here everyone knows at least what's necessary. Not because they are scholars, but because life demands it. A farmer cannot cultivate without measuring, calculating, or forecasting. A merchant couldn't sell without basic arithmetic. It's not that they're ignorant; it's that their priority isn't learning for learning's sake, but survival.
After weeks of training and hunting a few slimes in the forest, I kept the stones they left behind when they died. At first I wanted to give them to my parents, but they declined the gesture: "They're the fruit of your effort, however small."
They were right; it's a tiny amount you earn from tips. However, as they say. Little by little, you get a lot done.
And now, with Ravenscroft, I was heading to the city's adventurers' guild for the first time.
The building stood imposingly, as if four houses had been joined into one. From the outside it looked normal, but as soon as you stepped thru the doors, the air changed. It wasn't hostile, but it was dense, heavy, and filled with voices, smoke, and glances.
Groups of three, five, or six people gathered in front of bulletin boards covered with posters, maps, and notices. Some drank with hoarse laughter; others argued about routes or loot. Most were human, but I caught sight of several dwarves in their tanned leather outfits, axs hanging from their belts. It was a world completely different from mine, vibrant and dangerous, full of stories I didn't know.
I was absorbed until Ravenscroft tapped me on the shoulder.
—Let's go.
We approached the counter, where a young woman stood out like a flash of color amid the harsh atmosphere. Snow-white skin, violet eyes, hair of the same hue that fell in soft waves… and two small, almost hidden horns. I stared at her for longer than I should have. There was no fur or semi-human features; I concluded she was a demon.
"Good morning, Odette," Ravenscroft greeted.
—Good morning, John… and good morning, little one.
I blushed a little.
—Good morning.
—May I see your badge, John, please?
"Of course," Ravenscroft said, pulling out a small badge that appeared to be made of silver. Nothing flashy, just simple. Pretty at first glance.
She picked up the Ravenscroft nameplate, calmly writing on a piece of paper as she watched me with a slight smile. "What's your name?"
—I'm Drake. It's a pleasure to meet you.
—What a well-mannered child. I am Odette.
Her hair slid to the side, clearly revealing the horn.
—I see you can't take your eyes off them. You're curious, aren't you?
—Yes, very much.
—I'm not a full demon. I'm half human, half demon… just like you.
"Fascinating," I replied without thinking.
He laughed softly and moved on to the guild's routine.
—Alright, John. What mission will you take on today?
"Show me some C-level ones," Ravenscroft asked calmly.
—Right away.
While she was searching thru the documents, my eyes wandered around the room. Most of those present were adults: men and women hardened by experience, with harsh gazes, scars, and the weight of their weapons always in plain sight.
Among them, however, I noticed someone different: a boy, barely older than me, perhaps ten years old. He moved with ease, as if the guild were his second home.
A pang of curiosity pierced me. Could I be like him in a few years? A real adventurer? Without giving it too much thought, I turned to the receptionist.
"Miss Odette, could I register with the guild?" I asked with all the seriousness I could muster.
She looked at me in surprise, her violet eyes narrowing with a mixture of tenderness and doubt.
—You're still very young, Drake… How old are you?
—Five.
Odette shook her head gently, tho there was no mockery or harshness in her gesture, only an air of protectiveness.
—I'm sorry, it's impossible for now.
—Why?
"Because the minimum age to apply for admission is eight years," he explained patiently. And even then, they must pass several tests to confirm they are eligible.
My brow furrowed.
And if someone is rejected, can they try again?
—Of course, but you must wait at least a month before reapplying. It's not a punishment, Drake. It's a way to give young people time to grow, learn, and gain more experience.
He paused for a moment, as if measuring his words. Then he added:
—You see, missions are dangerous. It would be a crime to send a child into direct combat. But… the need exists. Everyone is looking for a way to bring food home.
He leaned in toward me slightly, his voice softer.
That's why minors can accompany adventurers on safe tasks: collecting materials, helping to carry equipment, and learning by observing. Here we make sure they receive guidance, some protection… and fair pay.
"That all sounds very nice," Ravenscroft interrupted without taking his eyes off a couple of posters. But don't hide the guild's other side from him.
Odette sighed, her fingers twitching on the papers.
—Unfortunately, it's true. We can't control what happens during missions. There are abuses, mistreatment… even abandonment. Investigations are carried out and attempts are made to bring justice, but it's not always enough. Some accept that risk just to earn a few coins.
He paused, his voice trembling ever so slightly.
—Recently, three infants died in the same group.
"Three?" Ravenscroft fixed his golden eyes on her, with an icy reproach. That's no longer a coincidence.
—They were missions of great difficulty. No one knows for sure what happened there. It's cruel, unfair… but it's also the truth. The life of an adventurer always shows both sides.
I didn't know what to say. I only managed to murmur:
—Thank you…
Ravenscroft stepped forward and picked up a sign.
We're sticking with this mission.
Odette looked at him with a slightly furrowed brow.
Just the two of you?
"That's right," he replied firmly.
She lowered her gaze for a moment, as if she wanted to say something more, but in the end she sighed resignedly.
—I see… then I wish you the best of luck.
"Thank you, Odette," Ravenscroft said, putting the document away.
"Thank you very much, miss," I added, and before stepping away, I ventured to ask, "Do you think… when we get back, I could ask you a few questions?"
She raised an eyebrow in surprise and turned her gaze to Ravenscroft. He, without changing his expression, nodded with a slight movement of his head.
"Yes, no problem," he finally replied with a friendly smile.
—Perfect. "Thank you very much," I said, tilting my head slightly.
We'll withdraw immediately. However, I could sense the gazes following us: some distrustful, others curious, and a few even tinged with suspicion. I paid them no attention and kept pace with Ravenscroft, my heart pounding.
***
As we walked to my first official mission. We had a pleasant chat.
"What did you think of the adventurers' guild?" Ravenscroft commented.
"A bit peculiar," I replied, stroking my chin with my fingers.
—It has its charm, doesn't it?
—Yes, although the atmosphere inside feels a bit heavy.
Ravenscroft nodded slightly.
—With training, your senses become sharp. You can use the term "aura" for this: it's the energy or vibe of a person or place. A clear example is the adventurers' guild.
"Aura...?" I repeated softly.
"On its own, the aura isn't anything spectacular," he continued, "but with training it can be very useful."
He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye before continuing to speak:
—It's useful, for example, with practical things to see a person's intentions. But for that, you also have to trust your instincts. Anyone can approach you with good intentions, and they could change at the least expected moment.
—So the aura is like a warning… —I commented, thoughtfully.
—Exactly. The guild, while its atmosphere is heavy, isn't entirely dangerous. So you can find your way around and stay alert.
—The most useful way, in my opinion, is to intimidate. Like that infamous time with the girl.
I remembered the incident and nodded.
—Yes… I remember it. At that moment, my instinct told me to step aside.
Exactly, you don't need to train your aura to react to those situations.
He paused, lowering his voice.
—Even tho you can see other people's auras, it's hard to hide your own. The moment you try to see someone else's aura, you also expose your own to being seen.
"A mutual risk," I stated.
—That's right. I'll add it to your training so you can hide it as best you can; however, there will be moments when your intentions may slip thru. Keeping your aura under control for a long time is exhausting.
—Be yourself. And when you have to hide it, you will. It's that simple.
I nodded, letting him finish his lesson.
—The aura of intimidation can take the form of animals or creatures; it can be anything from a turtle to a dragon.
I frowned.
How could I intimidate a turtle?
"Imagine a turtle the size of a house, with its eyes glowing like embers," he replied calmly. It can instill as much fear as any beast.
I smiled in disbelief.
—Well… when you put it that way.
—It can take many forms, as I've already said. But the ones that have drawn the most attention, or for which there is no explanation as to why, related to the elements are: Related to water, the imposing leviathan is the most striking of all. From fire, an implacable Cerberus, it is one of the rarest.
—From the earth, a mighty lion. From the wind, a beautiful quetzal. From the light, a majestic jaguar. From the darkness, a stealthy serpent. From the lightning, a colossal eagle. From the ice, a fierce polar bear.
—If Jörmundgander is the god of water, why does the aura take on the Leviathan's? Or with fire—why not adopt a phoenix? That would be best. — I asked hesitantly. How can there be such nonsense?
"Sometimes these forms don't make sense to us," Ravenscroft added, "but perhaps they do to the gods." Perhaps they don't show their true form, but something we can understand… or something with a meaning we haven't yet discovered.
—This can be explained in part by the fact that not everyone associated with the water element gets the Leviathan aura; they also bear sea serpents or various aquatic animals.
—Of fire, there are records of everything from a phoenix, Cerberus, and a horse to a donkey. From lightning, there's the eagle, the goat, and the bull. The possibilities are endless.
—It's really spectacular, but these things are truly impossible to understand.
"That... is too much to process," I admitted, rubbing my forehead.
Ravenscroft let out a light laugh.
—And we've only just begun.
All that explanation left me a bit dazed; I understood it a little, but not enough. Too jumbled.
—Look, that's our mission.
I didn't have time to sort out my thoughts.
Before us, a pack of six wolves devoured what appeared to be a deer carcass, tho I could barely make it out amid the growls and the bloody feast. However, there was something strange about them. They weren't ordinary wolves, not with those eyes that seemed to glow with an unhealthy gleam.
"Wolves?" I asked, trying to hide the unease that was making my skin crawl.
"Magical wolves, to be precise," Ravenscroft clarified, in his calm but unflexible tone. You'll face them alone. I'll just watch. I will only intervene if necessary.
I felt my throat closing up, but I nodded.
—It's okay.
I advanced cautiously, watching every step. The wolves noticed my presence immediately; their heads snapped up in unison, and their fangs were stained with frothy saliva. In an instant, they began moving in circles around me, closing the perimeter.
I adopted Alber's stance, holding my breath to keep my pulse steady. My heart wanted to race, but I forced myself to keep it under control.
The attack came without warning. They all pounced at the same time, perfectly coordinated, as if a single mind were guiding their bodies.
I spun on my heels and raised my sword in a wide arc. The steel grazed flesh and bone, tearing thru four of them. They recoiled with howls of pain, leaving two still standing, wounded but defiant.
Suddenly, one of them lifted its head and let out a prolonged howl that froze my blood.
—No… —I murmured.
Before I could react, shadows emerged from among the trees. Other wolves. Five, six… ten in total. Now I found myself surrounded by a hungry, enraged pack.
My heart rate quickened, this time impossible to contain.
With my free hand, I formed a small sphere of water. My first impulse had been to resort to fire, but a forest fire would be my doom. I had barely managed to compact the liquid when three wolves pounced on me. The sphere struck them head-on, stopping them for a moment.
Four others attacked from different angles. Training with Ravenscroft had become my instinct: slash, dodge, retreat, lunge. For a moment, I thot I'd make it. But the wolves weren't slime or practice dummies.
—Ahhh!
A sharp pain shot thru my ankle. One had slipped away and sunk its fangs into my right leg. Another one bit my left arm, tearing thru skin and muscle. I barely managed to cut the first one when another knocked me down, lunging straight for my neck. I barely managed to interpose my sword and shove him aside, slicing his side. But there was no respite: one grabbed my right arm and another my foot.
I was immobilized. Brutal bites shook me, tossing me around like a toy.
—Hah… hah!—I panted, unable to breathe normally.
Blood gushed out in hot jets, soaking me. I kicked, punched, and tried to break free, but the grip of its jaws was inhuman.
The pain was unbearable. My sword no longer responded to my will.
In a desperate burst, I tried to conjure a fireball, but the flame died before it was even born. I noticed it then: a red glint shone in the wolves' eyes, and with it their strength intensified. The pain, the ferocity—everything was growing.
And suddenly… the world changed.
Fear crushed me like a mountain. My body was trembling uncontrollably, and my eyes filled with tears. It was a primitive, absolute terror, as if death itself had manifested before me.
The wolves felt it too. They released my limbs and backed away howling, with their tails between their legs. Some fell to the ground, convulsing and shrieking in terror.
The entire forest was trembling. The trees creaked, and the ground cracked under an invisible pressure. The air grew heavy, impossible to breathe.
And I saw it.
An overflowing energy emerged as blue flames, expanding into a gigantic sphere that devoured the darkness. Amid the radiance, nine reptilian—or perhaps dragon—heads, as in the tales, materialized, each one roaring silently, gazing in every direction.
My heart threatened to burst. I couldn't breathe. I was going to die.
And in the blink of an eye… everything disappeared.
The wolves lay dead. The pressure faded away. The heads dissipated like smoke. All that remained was the echo of my own racing heart.
When I managed to move a finger, I lifted my head and saw him.
Ravenscroft.
Standing there, unperturbed, looking at me.
—You did well. Better than I expected. —His voice was calm, almost paternal—. Let me heal you… and give me your pants. You've had a little accident.
My face flushed with heat when I noticed the dampness on my legs. I had peed myself. It wasn't just any fear: it was absolute fear, the kind that makes you feel your life could be extinguished in an instant.
I backed away as he approached, dragging myself clumsily, still trembling.
"Let me see your arms," he insisted.
I hesitated, squeezed my eyes shut, and finally extended my bloodied limbs. Her hands, soft yet firm, held them gently.
"Mother Nature," he intoned solemnly, "protector of all life." I, your child, implore you: guide me on my path and heal its wounds. Healing.
A warm, gentle heat spread thru my arms. The pain vanished, and a stream of crystal-clear water washed away the blood. When I opened my eyes, the wounds had vanished as if they had never existed. Not a scratch. Not a single scar.
I clumsily stripped off my soaked clothes. Ravenscroft showed neither disgust nor mockery; he simply cleaned and dried my clothes with wind and water while I stood naked, shivering, and defenseless.
I could still see, etched in my memory, the image of those nine heads that surrounded him. And although he acted as if nothing had happened, I knew it: my master wasn't just a simple elf.
I had seen the face of the monster that slept within him.
Now that his clothes were clean and dry, he felt his breathing gradually return to a more stable rhythm.
Now that my clothes were clean and dry, I felt my breathing gradually return to a more stable rhythm. Even so, the tension lingered in my muscles like an echo that was hard to shake off. It was Ravenscroft who broke the silence.
—Those wolves have the ability to steal mana and empower themselves with it. On their own, they're not much of a problem, but in a pack… the risk multiplies — he explained, with the calm of someone delivering a lesson rather than talking about the death that had almost caught up with me.
I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, still with a lump in my throat.
I'm not lying when I say you did well. But once again, your carelessness worked against you. Tell me, why did you use water instead of fire?
I took a while to respond. My voice barely came out, as if the words were stumbling before they reached my lips.
"Because… of the forest," I whispered, avoiding his eyes and fixing my gaze on my own still-trembling hands.
He nodded slowly.
—It's understandable. But remember: as long as I'm here, I'll never let a fire get out of control.
His answer ignited a spark of rage in me.
"And when you're not here?" I asked harshly, forcing my voice out, broken but firm. With the water, I assumed their fur would get weighed down and they'd lose mobility. It was the best I had on hand.
A flash of approval shone in his eyes.
"Your reasoning is valid," he conceded. Then he pointed to the ground with his finger—. But look where the water ended up.
I followed his gesture. The puddles it had left behind glowed faintly, illuminated by fragments of mana stones.
—They absorb energy, yes, but they're still vulnerable to spells. Also, as you noticed, they're fast and coordinated. Your opening with the Alber stance was impeccable. But you made a mistake: you didn't finish off the two who survived. That gave them the opportunity to call for reinforcements.
I felt a shiver run down my spine.
—Your second mistake was in the conjuration. You recited the water spell incorrectly. You cast it quickly, it worked… but it drained you too much. There was no mana explosion because it wasn't a complex spell, but the cost weakened you.
I listened to him in silence, clenching my teeth. Until I couldn't hold back any longer.
"And what was that?" I asked, in a tone that was part fury, part fear.
Ravenscroft held my gaze.
What exactly was it?
—That monster… with nine heads. Was it his aura?
The elf nodded, without taking his eyes off me.
—Indeed. That was it.
I swallowed. My throat felt rough, as if each word was tearing me from the inside.
—That… wasn't simple at all. Nor was it fun, as I'd said.
Ravenscroft placed his hands on his knees and replied firmly:
—I said it. Intimidation. It's simple. What you saw was my aura manifesting. You suffered more because you still can't control yours, and the power difference hit you like a cannonball to the chest.
He paused for a moment and, with a hint of irony in his voice, added:
—The fun part was the forms it can take. Not in going around scaring just anyone.
—So… What was that?
He took a deep breath, then exhaled forcefully, as if weighing each word before letting it out.
—The Hydra.
My eyes widened. The mere mention of that name froze me to the bone. A creature of legend, an immortal monster that existed only in stories. And yet, I had seen it with my own eyes.
"How...?" I managed to say, my heart racing again.
Ravenscroft raised a hand, stopping me.
—Enough. Not now. You need to calm down before you can process what you saw.
I didn't have the strength to reply. I just nodded.
He leaned to one side and handed me his water barrel. I took it with both hands, drinking greedily, the cool liquid flowing down my throat like a balm.
We stayed there, side by side, in silence. No words, no need for them. Only the distant murmur of the forest and the invisible weight of what I had just witnessed.
***
I looked at my arms over and over. My skin was intact, without any marks, but in my mind I still felt the burning sensation of fangs sinking in, the weight of bodies pressing down on me, the desperation of not being able to move. It was as if my memory had become trapped in that moment, replaying it endlessly.
I had trouble breathing. I had trouble accepting that, at least on the surface, it was all over. How am I supposed to feel after something like that? Relieved? Terrified? Stronger… or weaker?
The conversation with Odette would have to wait. Ravenscroft ordered me to go home, and he would take care of the rest. I didn't protest; I just nodded and obeyed, dragging my feet in silence.
A shiver ran down my spine, as cold as ice water, making me tremble. Everything around me seemed different: the sounds were sharper, the shadows denser, and people's movements clearer. My senses were honed to an extreme, as if my body refused to let its guard down.
When I walked thru the front door, the scene hit me with unexpected force. My mother was there, smiling, playing with Thomas. Her laughter filled the room with a warmth that felt almost unreal to me.
I, who just moments before had felt death breathing down my neck, now saw them as so distant, so happy, so… innocent. They weren't to blame. They didn't know what had happened. To them, I was still just a kid going out to train. And yet, at that moment I felt insignificant, like a grain of sand lost in a world that was too vast and cruel.
My mother looked up and stared at me, surprised by my return.
What's wrong, Drake?
—Nothing, Mom.
—You're back early. Do you want something to eat?
—No. I'm fine. We just finished early, that's all.
I swallowed saliva. How could I tell him that I was face to face with death? How can I explain to him that the aura, that invisible power, can be so eerie and devastating? I didn't want to. I shouldn't have. I want my family to stay away from that world, from the world I'm already experiencing firsthand.
Without saying another word, I walked straight to the bathroom. I needed to close the door, be alone, and let the trembling in my hands finally subside.