The smell of toast, eggs, and slightly burnt sausage drifted through the Grant household as sunlight streamed through the kitchen window. The world outside looked painfully normal considering Riley had, the previous night, bonded an elite lightning lynx, wiped a guild, evolved a mythic weapon, and walked back into town with both teams staring at him like he was a walking plot twist.
Aria slumped over the table like a corpse, hair sticking out at violent angles.
Sofia sat neatly beside her, eating quietly, still glowing faintly from Ether's healing aura the night before.
Riley sat across from his sister, scrolling through his messages with the calm of someone who had emotionally accepted chaos as a lifestyle.
Aria poked a sausage with her fork.
"Why are mornings a thing?"
"You stayed up watching dungeon replays until 2 AM," Riley reminded.
"They were funny," she muttered. "I like the part where the lynx ate that guy."
Sofia shot her a horrified look.
"Aria!"
"What? I didn't mean literally ate— Ether, stop judging me!"
Ether was not here, but the memory of her bonks lingered like a phantom warning.
Riley's phone suddenly chimed.
He blinked.
A name he hadn't seen in… two years appeared on the screen.
Edward. — : Hey Riley!
Are you playing Realm Walker??
What region did you start in?
Riley froze mid-bite.
Aria noticed instantly.
"Oooh. What's that look?
Is it a girl?"
"No."
Sofia leaned in gently.
"Is it… someone important?"
"Yes," Riley said quietly.
Aria blinked.
"Who?"
He hesitated.
Edward.
The boy from last summer, two years younger, but sharp, kind, and stupidly lucky with hidden quests.
In his last life, Edward had messaged him the same thing.
He'd ignored it.
Edward had ended up in a bad guild, got scammed, burned out…
Stopped playing by Month 3.
And his absence had changed quiet parts of the story Riley remembered.
He wasn't letting that happen again.
He typed slowly:
• Yeah, I'm playing.
• Dawnview region for now.
• You?
The reply came almost instantly.
Edward: Started in Emberton!
Dude the city is HUGE.
When the world opens after the next dungeon, wanna meet up?
I'm kinda… alone lol
Aria glanced over his shoulder.
"Ohhhh. He sounds sweet."
Sofia smiled warmly.
"He sounds like he needs a friend."
Riley re-read the message.
Emberton.
He remembered Emberton.
A future trade hub.
Gateway city to four regions.
And home to one very specific resource…
The Ashen Myrrh pods used in Tier 3 crafting.
Worth peanuts now.
Worth a fortune in three months.
Guilds would literally go to war for it.
He typed his answer without hesitation.
• Emberton works.
• Meet there when it unlocks.
• I'll help you get started.
Three dots appeared.
Edward:
SERIOUSLY??
THANK YOU!!
I thought you'd say no lol
Okay okay I'll level fast—
Can't wait!
See you soon
Riley put his phone down.
Sofia watched him softly.
"You two seem close."
"We met on holiday," Riley said. "Good kid."
Aria raised a brow.
"You gonna recruit him?"
"Maybe."
Riley finished his toast and stood.
"But I'm not letting him end up in the wrong place again."
Aria blinked at that.
"…Again?"
Riley grabbed his headset.
"Long story. Game time."
Sofia rinsed her bowl and grabbed her own headset.
Aria chugged orange juice like it was a stamina potion.
Three flashes of light later—
They were in Dawnview.
You could always tell when the town entered "Morning Cycle."
The sky brightened.
Vendors opened stalls.
Players rushed between crafting halls, trying to get upgrades done before daily prices fluctuated.
The fountain shimmered like fresh water had just been generated by some unseen system.
Team A and Team B had arranged to meet outside the forge district.
Arcial was already waiting.
Sitting on the roof.
Lightning tail dangling off the edge, like a stormy gargoyle.
Aria pointed up.
"WHY IS HE UP THERE?!"
Riley shrugged.
"He likes high ground."
Arcial meowed—loudly.
Like he disagreed with everything.
"See?" Aria muttered. "Drama queen."
Ether fluttered in behind Sofia, wings shimmering morning-blue.
She hummed a greeting at Arcial, who flicked his ears and pretended not to care.
Hayes arrived with Hayley soon after.
Jonathan and Rezion were already inspecting the quest board.
Everyone looked mostly refreshed—minus some lingering trauma.
Riley stepped forward.
"Alright—repairs first. Then rebalancing."
The forge door slammed open before Riley even touched it.
Mira sprinted out—hammer in hand, goggles on her forehead, soot on her cheek.
"You're here!! GOOD. I need data—do you have materials—WAIT IS THAT ARCIAL—HIIIII—"
Arcial growled softly.
Mira melted into a flustered, fangirling puddle.
Riley handed her the damaged armor sets.
Mira rolled up her sleeves.
"Okay. Repairs are simple. But the Verdant Steel prototype? I think I cracked it."
She blinked.
"Oh! Also—Arcial's fur conducts charge. I want to test something. Can I—"
"No," several people answered at once.
She pouted.
"Fine."
Aria whispered, "She's terrifying. I like her."
Ether bonked her lightly.
"CAN YOU STOP—"
Mira clapped her hands sharply.
"Right! Repairs in thirty minutes! Next!"
Kipp exploded out the door the moment he sensed them—literally exploded, because something had clearly blown up behind him.
"RILEY LOOK WHAT I—"
Then he saw Dawnstring.
He froze.
He screamed.
He fainted.
Mossling waddled out, poked him, nodded like "yes he is dead," then waddled away again.
Riley sighed, lifted Kipp by the collar, and placed him on a crate to recover.
Hayley giggled.
"He takes things so seriously."
"No," Aria corrected.
"He takes Riley's things seriously."
Ether perched on a shelf and began humming in a healing rhythm.
Faint threads of light drifted between empty potion bottles and bubbling mixtures.
Kipp jolted upright.
"AETHER? YOU CAN HELP WITH HEAL POTIONS?! OH MY G—"
Sofia covered her face.
"I think he needs a break."
The group moved between vendors.
Jonathan upgraded his cracked gauntlets.
Rezion bought Frostfur treats for Husky, who wagged so hard he almost fell over.
Kalyani found Fire Cat a spicy Ember Snack, which caused Fire Cat to sneeze a tiny fireball.
It hit Aria.
She swore.
Ether bonked her.
Chaos continued as normal.
While the others browsed, Jonathan lingered near one of the NPC stalls.
A burly miner NPC with stone-dust skin and gravelly voice beckoned him closer.
"You there. Tiger boy.
Your spirit's got the eyes of a fighter.
Ever seen a Stoneback?"
Tiger Cub lifted its head.
Jonathan blinked. "A stone… what now?"
The NPC lowered his voice conspiratorially.
"There's a den. Hidden. Dangerous.
Hardly anyone finds it.
But your spirit?
He might be the kind who can earn one."
Tiger Cub growled low, tail flicking excitedly.
A prompt appeared ONLY for Jonathan:
Hidden Quest Discovered — "Echoes of Stoneblood"
Prerequisite: High Bond with Physical-Type Spirit
Reward: unknown
Jonathan's eyes widened.
He swallowed.
Then hit Accept.
He said nothing to the others—not yet.
But Tiger Cub's eyes shone with fierce pride.
They were just regrouping in the square—Arcial cleaning his paws on a fountain edge, Ether drifting lazily above them—when the sky darkened.
A deep tone reverberated through the air, shaking the cobblestones beneath their feet.
SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT:
REALMWALKER EVENT UPDATE
WORLD SHIFT: AZURE STORMFRONT
Begins in 4 days (real time).
Storm anomalies detected.
Monster aggression rising.
Spirit evolution chances increased.
Dungeon: Azure Hollow — phase two unlocking soon.
Recommend: Prepare.
Wind rushed through the square.
Arcial stood sharply, fur sparking, lightning veins glowing bright.
Ether fluttered beside him, wings swelling with soft warning light.
Riley looked up—and for a moment, Dawnstring shimmered on his back, storm-light echoing the sky.
Kalyani's eyes widened.
"Oh. That's bad."
Rezion paled.
"Ohhh that's VERY bad."
Aria grinned like a gremlin.
"Oh that's AWESOME."
Sofia swallowed.
"We… need a plan."
Hayes nodded grimly.
"We prepare. Hard."
Riley stepped into the center of the group.
"All of us. Together.
Starting today."
Arcial growled thunder.
Ether pulsed with light.
The team leaned in as one.
Tomorrow—
The storm began.