Aya got up with a te start to her day and climbed out of bed with a yawn. She blinked slowly and soon without intending to, stared at a nearby wall to zo. It only took a few minutes before the sizzling of breakfast caught her attention enough to jolt her out of her thoughts.

  Breakfast? That meant…

  Aya bolted out of bed, rag towards the kit to firm what she knew. Mars was cooking breakfast and she was determined not to miss it.

  She burst out of her room, startling Mars who hid it well as she flipped pancakes in a non-stick pan over a hot stove.

  “Where’s the fire?” Mars chuckled at the sight of Aya’s disheveled appearance. She looked the girl up and down, sing for any sign of a problem.

  “Aya are you alright?” Mars asked in , Aya had a dazed expression on her face as if she had zoned out the moment she stepped into the kit. Mars narrowed her brow and turned down the heat to approach the irl.

  “Aya.” She called agaiing a ed hand on the brue’s shoulders.

  “I’m fine, just didn’t want to miss breakfast.”

  Mars gave a small smile in respoo her words, Aya could be so sweet. She turned her eyes back to the piping hot stack of pancakes and lifted one of the ptes to present to her friend.

  “I’ll get the syrup in a bit,” Mars said.

  Aya gripped the sides of the pte ao take a seat at the table.

  “Aya,” Mars called, the brown haired girl spun around, “Don’t worry about st night. There’s o feel guilty about overpying.”

  Aya rested the pte oable and sat down.

  “Pshh, what do you mean, I don’t...feel guilty.” Aya said, cautiously moving the pte with the tips of her fingers.

  Mars smirks.

  “If yoing to keep pouting I’m only going to say try not to miss meal times, or just let me know if you do. If we’re going to be living together we ’t be walking on eggshells.” Mars said.

  “I just feel bad about it.”

  “Don’t, I was just worried you had passed out.” Mars said, frying aack of pancakes. She noticed Aya resting her head oable.

  “Has that ever happened before?”

  “Mmhmm, it happeo me.” Mars said. “Grinding for days, I didn’t have anyone cheg in on me.”

  “That’s awful.”

  “That’s life without any real friends.” Mars said. She turned around to face Aya whose browared in for her. “I don’t want that to happen to you.”

  ----------

  Yvlena woke up beside Dyn who was busing himself plug the bdes of grass that grew along the ke bed. The young man noticed her stirring and scrambled to her side.

  “Oh, Yvlena. I didn’t expect you to fall asleep after eating.” He said rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. He held a hand out to help her up from the fortable grass.

  Yvlena blinked, f herself to focus. That was the sed time a character had mentioned her sleeping, did elves not sleep as often as humans did in the game?

  “Thank you.” Yvlena said, shaking herself. She was supposed to lead this quest and didn’t want to look unsure beside Dyn.

  “Are you alright?” Dyn asked.

  “Yeah I’m fine, I just had a weird dream. You know how it is.” Yvlena said. She winced a bit, realizing she didn’t know if the NPC could dream or if they even knew what the cept entailed.

  “I know what you mean,” Dyn said, resting his hands on his waist with a pensive expression. “I get the stra dreams sometimes, sad ooo.” he admitted.

  “What kind of dreams?”

  “Sometimes I dream the Miasma’s gohough I guess now that’s being a reality,” he ughed. His expression saddened again. “Sometimes I dream Twy came back.” he muttered.

  Yvlena gazed at his solemn expression, she rested a hand on his shoulder, then pulled him into a hug. Only a moment after she felt Dyn’s arms around her shoulders in reciprocation. He allowed himself to lean in and take fort in her embrace.

  “I’m sure wherever she is, she’s okay.” Yvlena said.

  “Thank you,” Dyn said. “You know I’ve only ever gotten hugs from my mom.” he said shyly as they pulled apart.

  “Cherish her while you .”

  Dyn nodded, sensing the graveness in Yvlena’s tone. She looked away from him, Dyn wao say something more but the words ended up caught in his throat.

  “Alright everyone, let’s go!” she said, rousing her summons from their py. She looked back at Dyn who now stared on with a ptive expression.

  ‘I guess I gave him a lot to think about.’ Yvlena thought. “e on Dyn, the temple is up , we o stop by before we get to the Outskirts and thepost.”

  “R-Right!” Dyn said walking towards the path with Yvlena and her summons. The girl spoke to them like one would children, even though Dyhey were pretty powerful. He wondered how she became a summoner, but knew he wouldn’t be able to uand even if she expi.

  ----------

  The Depths didn’t seem as hostile as it was when Yvlena had first visited. Sunlight streamed through the thick opy of leaves making the elf sider cutting down some of the rown trees. That was ao explore ter.

  ‘It would help the light shihrough much better but at least I don’t need a torymore.’

  She braced herself for an attack, even with the Miasma gohey were still in one of the more dangerous areas in the Bloom Forest with a NPC that wasn’t quite on her level and even willing to thrust himself into danger.

  ‘And I o kill a boar for Laurent.’ Yvlena thought.

  “Wow.” Dyn gasped, marveling at the greenery all around him. Yvlena watched him spin around, whistling at the vastness of the forest. “It just keeps going o it?” he said in awe.

  “It really does. The temple’s up ahead, keep your eyes peeled, there are wolves lurking around.” Yvlena warned. “You run towards a wolf like that again, and I’ll smack you!”

  Dyn stid at the sound of her warning, recalling how he dashed forward into danger before Yvlena could stop him.

  “I was only trying to prove myself.” he whined.

  “I’d rather have you safe.” She sighed. Her point was interrupted by a growl, she looked ahead, sensing a danger she could not see ahead. It would most likely be a fox or a wolf but her inability to see it made her anxious.

  “Sprite, Rabbit Knight keep your eyes open, there’s something just around the er.” Yvlena said, Kuti held on t, prompting Yvlena to pick the doll up with care. She pced Kuti on her shoulders, like a child at a show needing a height boost.

  Dyn held his sword close, gluing himself to Yvlena’s side, they inched forward through the poorly lit woods.

  The elf tio hear the faint growling of a forest creature.

  ‘Where is this thing?’

  “Ahhhhhhh!” Dyn screamed behind her, bushes rustled behind them and soon they were ered by two snarling foxes cirg them, at any moment they could lu the party, setting them all on edge.

  Dyn gulped, brandishing his sword. So far his only victory had been against the lesser creatures of the Bloom Meadow. His hand quivered as he stared into the amber eyes of the hostile animal.

  “Dyn,” Yvlena called. He took a moment to break eye tact with the eo look into her eyes. “You’re not alone.”

  Sunghost