It was a sunny morning in the Helios Kingdom. The streets bustled with people draped in church clothes, murmuring as they made their way to worship. Dozens of churches lined the city, each dedicated to the god Helios. Some were reserved exclusively for nobility and those of Scion blood, while others welcomed citizens of all ranks who still contributed greatly to society.
Outside a coffee shop in the city, four figures stood waiting. Unlike the churchgoers, they wore red cloaks. Their posture was tense, their patience thin, as their eyes flicked up at the massive clock tower every few seconds.
Finally, the eldest among them snapped.
"Where is he?! Last I checked, nine o'clock meant nine o'clock—not nine-thirty!"
A younger boy, no older than sixteen, scratched the back of his head nervously.
"I-I'm sorry. That's just how he is." He bowed quickly. "He'll be here soon!"
The eldest scoffed, clearly unconvinced.
Before he could launch into another tirade, the coffee shop door swung open. Out stepped a tall boy with dark, unremarkable features. A steaming cup of coffee sat in his right hand, while his left fumbled with a red cloak he was trying to throw over his black street clothes.
Lucius took a long sip, then smiled as his vermilion eyes settled on the group before him.
sweet…
Leaning against a lamppost was a girl with short blonde hair, looking thoroughly bored. Alicia—the same girl who'd nudged him during combat training and taken the seat beside him.
I quite like her, as far as Helios-born go.
Next to her stood another classmate, glaring daggers at him. The boy had short brown hair, a hard set to his jaw, and a demeanor that practically radiated dislike.
He must be speechless in the presence of the almighty dual prince.
Lucius knew, deep down, that the boy hated his guts.
Pacing restlessly was the man Lucius recognized as their squad captain. Though he didn't know him personally, he had skimmed his profile in the envelope Mrs. Clemens had handed him.
Grade 5 Scion, aiming for a captain's promotion.
The Helios military offered many paths for Scions after they graduated at sixteen. One such role was to join a squad, fulfilling missions assigned by the kingdom. Each squad consisted of five members, with one acting as captain. To earn that rank, a Scion had to lead a trial mission with academy students. Their leadership and results would determine their promotion.
But it wasn't the aspiring captain, or even Alicia or the scowling classmate, that made Lucius's grin widen.
No, it was the nervous boy with short blonde hair, twiddling his thumbs.
"How are you, Marcus? Still a nervous wreck, I see."
Laughing, Marcus replied,
"I've been good! How about you? Still the shitty prince who can't show up on time?"
The two burst into laughter and embraced in a brotherly hug. Marcus was Lucius's one and only true friend. They had first met years ago at this very coffee shop and often hung out there until their academic lives took them in different directions. Marcus had entered the academy for lower-ranking Scions, while Lucius attended the one for highborns. After that, contact between them faded.
But their reunion didn't last long.
The aspiring squad captain stormed over, scowling, and smacked Lucius's caramel macchiato out of his hand. The cup splattered across the hot pavement.
"You're late because you went for coffee?"
Lucius's bright red eyes narrowed at the wasted drink spreading across the ground.
"Well, I would have been on time. Believe me, there's nothing I hate more than being late. But the line was preposterous." Lucius bowed, then straightened. "My apologies, dear leader—I'll make up for it on the mission."
Somehow, those words managed to calm not only the captain but also Marcus.
The captain turned back toward the group, preparing to deliver a speech. But before he could begin, an icy voice cut in.
"Before that, you owe me $6.75."
"What?!" the captain barked, appalled.
"The coffee was $6.75. Please pay up."
Lucius extended his hand, palm up, and stared venomously into the man's carmine eyes.
"I will not pay you!" the captain roared. "I don't care if you're the dual prince—you must respect not only me, but Helios! You were late to a Helios-sanctioned mission. You've disrespected me, the kingdom, and our god!"
"Yeah, I don't really care about that," Lucius said flatly. "Pay up, or I'm going home."
It may not have sounded like much of a threat, but it was. The aspiring captain couldn't afford for anything to go wrong, not on this mission, not with his promotion on the line. Lucius knew it, and he exploited it without mercy.
Grinding his teeth, the captain froze in place. He might have stood there all morning, had Alicia not snapped,
"Oh, just pay him already!"
Seething, the captain dug into his wallet and slapped $6.75 of red bills and coins into Lucius's palm.
Marcus exhaled in relief.
Don't worry, friend. I know how important this is to you.
For Marcus, this mission was everything. Coming from the lesser academy, he'd only earned this chance because he was set to graduate at the top of his class. Performing well was his only hope of securing a promising future.
Sighing and gathering himself, the squad leader cleared his throat.
"All right. Now that everyone is here, let's begin. I assume you've all read over the mission details?"
The group nodded.
"I won't sugarcoat it; this is a dangerous mission. We're tasked with tracking down three Stage Three Helios Scions who've gone astray. I might be in Stage Five, but this mission needs to be completed today. That's why we'll split into three groups, each hunting one target. Bring them in dead or alive."
His eyes swept across the group, worry flickering beneath his steady tone. They landed first on Lucius and Marcus.
"You two will partner up since you already know each other."
Then he turned to Alicia and the brooding boy.
"And you two are both Gold Stage Two, so you should be able to overpower one of the runaways."
The words came out smooth enough, but his eyes betrayed him. It wasn't that he didn't believe what he said, but it was that everything was riding on it being true.
Swallowing, the leader forced some false enthusiasm into his voice.
"All right. I'll take the most wanted target. He's been spotted on the east side of the kingdom. Marcus and Lucius, you'll handle the second most wanted to the west, and the two of you will take the third in the south."
The students already knew their marks and locations from the envelope. Everyone nodded, whether in eagerness or in fear was hard to tell.
Only Lucius yawned, unimpressed.
I wish he hadn't paid me. I could've gone home instead.
"Meet back by this coffee shop after you complete your part."
Without another word, the groups dispersed.