It was still early in the night, but the cold was not to be joked with. This wasn't a nice "cozy sweater" kind of chill — it was the "I-can-feel-my-bones-rattling" kind.
We were all gathered in the open courtyard, waiting. Or rather, most of us were just waiting. Me and the chubby guy — Lie Jun — were shivering like abandoned puppies. The rest? Perfectly fine. Not a goosebump in sight.
Seriously, even Selena, with her very… ventilated choice of clothing, was standing there like she was posing for a summer perfume ad. I don't know what these people eat, but clearly, it's something that turns your blood into lava.
"How long will it take?" Lie Jun asked through chattering teeth.
"I don't know," I replied, equally annoyed. "But if we don't move soon, I'm selling your coat for firewood."
Before he could protest, the familiar official from earlier strutted into the courtyard, flanked by three guards. The man was thin — no, lean — like someone who could get blown away by a strong breeze. And yet, somehow, he oozed authority.
And he still had that high-pitched, nasal voice that could peel paint off walls.
"Hopefully," he began, "all your holidays are going well. I know you have one more day before your first mission…"
Oh great. Here it comes.
"…but an emergency has come up. In the north, far from the palace, communication with a certain village has ceased entirely. Our guards, sent with relief aid, have not returned. The village was already suffering from drought this year — we were sending grain shipments, but now no contact is possible. His Majesty has decided to send you all there immediately."
He said it like he was offering us free cake.
Lie Jun stiffened beside me, his expression a mix of fear and… excitement? Poor guy. Probably thought this was going to be an easy hero moment.
I glanced around at the others.
Amir Voss flicked his eyes to me, then back to his usual stoic, "unbothered statue" face. I swear if he stays like that too long, pigeons will start nesting on him.
Shahib Al-Rami was mumbling under his breath, fingers flicking in strange patterns — definitely calculating something complicated. Whether it was about the mission or the square root of disaster, I wasn't sure.
Lucian looked annoyed, but kept sneaking hands toward Selena's waist. She blocked him every time without even looking, tossing him sultry winks that made me want to pull a blanket over my head. Then she caught me watching, winked at me too — which made my skin crawl — and Lucian turned to glare at me like I'd just stolen his lunch.
Mie Lin, serene as always in her flowing white robes, was silent — until she tilted her head and spoke in her polite, silken tone.
"When will we depart, respected official?" she asked, dripping with respect.
I gagged internally.
"Tomorrow morning," the official replied, smirking faintly. "It's urgent."
Fantastic. One night to figure out how to survive this "assessment" without getting killed. Also, my infiltration attempt on the palace library? On hold. Which was just as well — today's try was a miserable failure that had me sweating bullets.
The official's tone shifted, growing smugger. "One more thing. As you will be working as a team, you require a leader. This mission will serve as an evaluation of your powers, your ability to cooperate, and your judgment. The most suitable candidate will be appointed leader for future missions."
Translation: a perfect chance for me to get crushed like a beetle under an elephant.
We all exchanged looks. Well, they exchanged looks. Not a single one of them even glanced at me or Lie Jun. Apparently, we'd been quietly eliminated from the competition before it even began.
Ouch. That stung.
But they didn't know me yet. I'm not just some shivering, weak, "extra" in their little elite squad fantasy. They'd find out soon enough.
We were dismissed to prepare. And as I walked away into the bitter night, I couldn't help but think: tomorrow might be the worst day of my life… or the best chance I'll ever get.
Morning in the palace grounds was… hectic. Not the "festive, happy chaos" kind. No — this was the "seven very different people trying to get ready for a potentially deadly mission" kind.
Lucian was combing his hair like we were heading to a royal ball. Selena was polishing her nails with the same dedication a soldier would polish armor. Shahib was pacing in the corner, muttering formulas like he was going to fight the drought with mathematics. Amir was as silent and still as the palace walls. Mie Lin was praying — or meditating — and Lie Jun was eating. Again.
And me? I was trying not to think about the fact that in less than an hour, I'd be heading straight into an unknown situation with a bunch of people who probably wouldn't notice if I got eaten by a bear.
We assembled in the courtyard, where the familiar high-pitched official stood waiting beside a long table draped in crimson cloth. On it, seven swords gleamed in the morning light.
"These," he announced proudly, "are gifts from the palace. Chosen to suit your future as His Majesty's chosen warriors."
One by one, we were called forward.
Amir Voss went first. His sword was elegant, silver-bladed with a black hilt, etched with runes that seemed to shimmer faintly. The kind of weapon you'd see in heroic ballads.
Shahib's sword was straight and narrow, the blade glinting like ice. It looked perfectly balanced, made for precision. He tested the weight and nodded, already calculating angles of attack in his head.
Lucian's sword was unnecessarily flashy — gold-inlaid hilt, crossguard shaped like wings, and a faint glow running down the blade. I swear I heard him whisper "Perfect" under his breath like he'd just been handed a mirror.
Selena's was slender and curved, the steel so polished it could be used as a looking glass. The hilt was wrapped in deep crimson silk, and she held it like she'd been born with it in hand.
Mie Lin's sword was pure white from hilt to tip, engraved with delicate floral patterns. Even the sheath was elegant, a piece of art that looked like it belonged in a temple.
Lie Jun received a sturdy, broad-bladed sword. Not particularly fancy, but well-made — dependable. He grinned like a kid getting candy.
Then it was my turn.
The official picked up a sheathed sword from the far end of the table, hesitated, then handed it to me.
It was… old. Not "mystical ancient relic" old. Just… old. The leather on the hilt was worn smooth, the crossguard was plain and slightly dented, and the blade — when I unsheathed it — had no markings, no shine, nothing special. Just a simple strip of steel.
Even the official looked uncomfortable. "Ah… I don't know why the palace quartermaster issued… this to you. My apologies."
I stared at it for a second, then chuckled. "Figures. My luck never disappoints."
He blinked, clearly unsure if I was joking. I slid the sword back into its scabbard and slung it over my back like it didn't bother me — because, honestly, it didn't. I'd made do with worse.
With weapons in hand, we moved to the palace gates, where two large black carriages awaited us. The official gave us last-minute instructions, wished us "luck" (in the same tone you'd wish someone "have fun at the dentist"), and waved us off.
The journey north took two days. The first day was filled with awkward silence, punctuated by Lie Jun's constant snacking and Selena's relentless flirting with Lucian, who alternated between smugness and pretending he didn't care. Shahib muttered calculations about travel speed, Amir kept watch from the carriage window, and Mie Lin asked me — very politely — if I had "a plan" for the mission. I answered with equal politeness: "Not dying."
By the second day, the landscape outside had shifted into stretches of frost-bitten fields and sparse woodland. The air grew colder, heavier. Even the others stopped talking.
When we finally reached the village, the horses slowed to a hesitant trot.
At first glance, everything seemed… normal. The small wooden houses stood intact. The wells, the carts, even the baskets of grain by the doors — all untouched. A few clothes hung from lines, swaying in the breeze.
But there was no one.
Not a voice, not a footstep. No animals, no birds. Just the wind.
The carriage came to a stop.
Selena leaned forward, scanning the empty street. "Where is everyone?"
I stepped down onto the packed dirt road, my breath misting in the cold air.
The place wasn't ruined. It wasn't abandoned. It was like every single person had simply… vanished.
And that, somehow, felt far worse.