Tyrin stepped into the Village and was instantly captivated. His breath hitched as he took in the scene, halting mid-step with wide eyes and an open mouth. "This is incredible!" he murmured, awe threading through his voice.
The guards accompanying him exchanged glances before slowing to a stop, granting Tyrin a moment to absorb his surroundings.
The Village brimmed with warmth and life. Most of the structures were crafted from rich, weathered wood, their rooftops sloping in elegant, timeworn arcs. Yet, the grand stone wall encircling the settlement spoke of security and stature—an indication of prosperity.
Villagers moved with an easy grace, their faces bright with welcoming smiles.
As Tyrin passed, they waved, their gazes alight with curiosity and warmth, their gestures a silent invitation into their world.
Thesia pulled him out of his thoughts, "They are going to walk away!" she said.
"Oh shoot!" Tyrin said while leaping forward to the guards walking away.
"Sorry I got distracted." Tyrin said.
"It's okay, you don't have to worry about it." The lightly armored guard said.
"This place blows most people away when they come for the first time." The other guard added.
They continued walking just for a short time when the three of them came to a tall building. It was in the center of the village. The two stories were made completely of stone.
"Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild!" The guards said, "Stay close."
Tyrin tried his hardest to not get caught up in the appearance and stayed close to the guards.
The large double door was made from fine wood that looked finely crafted. Carved into its surface was an emblem of a crossed sword and shield.
The doors opened onto a magnificent scene.
There were a lot of people huddled inside. All were equipped with armor ranging from robes to thick metal plates. Nearly all of them had weapons. Some had staves and others had daggers.
The one that caught Tyrin's eyes the most was a man dressed in black robes holding an open book that appeared to be glowing with ethereal energy.
Tyrin asked Thesia, "How many people do think are in here?"
Thesia responded quickly, "around 35 people are here."
"That's quite a few people for one building. This place is huge!" Tyrin said.
Still walking the guards looked toward a counter near the back hall of the Adventurer's Guild. A lady with long brown hair pointed toward a staircase and put up 3 fingers.
The guards instantly shifted their movement toward the staircase. A little slower to notice, Tyrin followed suit.
The staircase was quite large easily fitting a minimum of 4 people across. The wooden steps creaked with every move as the 3 went up. Getting passed by others going down.
Tyrin heard conversations of people passing by. There seemed to be a hot topic of bandit attacks.
"We really need to check out these bandits." Tyrin said. "Maybe we could help."
"That would be nice" Thesia said. She was proud that Tyrin was wanting to leave a positive impact on the world.
The second floor stretched before them, a long corridor lined with identical doors on either side. Each bore a number, counting upward from 1 to 24. At the very end of the hall, parallel to the staircase, stood Room 25—the Guild Master's quarters, its label carrying a quiet weight of authority.
Tyrin and the guards approached Room 3, pushing open the door and stepping inside.
A wave of sensation crashed over Tyrin. His senses drank in the warm scent of freshly baked bread, the earthy fragrance of vegetables, and the rich aroma of roasted meat. The modest spread before him was the first food he had encountered in this unfamiliar world, and his body, suddenly aware of its hunger, urged him forward.
The room was like a medium sized foyer with a couple of small couches with a small table in the center of the room.
These rooms were meant for Adventuring parties to meet and collaborate before or after their adventurers.
What Tyrin saw before him was an emergency ration table that the Guild always had at the ready. It would rotate between rooms but it allowed people in need to come get food and supplies without disturbance.
Before the Guards could say anything Tyrin was already sitting on a couch eating. Lost in conversation with Thesia.
"Hey Thesia can you tell me what any of this stuff is?" He said.
"I am unaware of the food. If I had to guess the Meat is from local boar while The Vegetables and Bread are probably harvested and kept at the Guild."
"I am thankful we met Thesia." Tyrin admitted, "It is nice to have someone to talk to."
Thesia was confused, "It must be your lack of food finally making you crazy." Either way She really appreciated it. Being bonded with the Pyrolykos was nice but speaking to a magical beast was very different than a human. They didn't have the same sense of logic or perception.
But now Thesia is bonded with a human after a long time, let alone a young body and an old mind. She was very happy.
Tyrin stuffed his face, getting a little more tired with every bite. He ended up passing out on the couch he was sitting at. Luckily he had finished his food and cleaned himself up before he fell back onto the couch.
Even though Tyrin was asleep, Thesia could still feel his thoughts and was still aware of their surroundings.
~~~
Thesia perked up at the sound of a knock on the door. The guards exchanged a glance before rising to answer. As they stepped aside, two figures entered, their movements precise and deliberate.
She had lost track of time—surely enough had passed for the watchers to swap shifts. But as she studied the newcomers, she realized her assumption had been wrong.
They were not ordinary attendants. They wore flowing white robes and carried ornate staves, their presence exuding quiet authority.
Without a word, they lowered themselves beside Tyrin, their hands tracing intricate patterns in the air. In unison, they spoke:
"Lux Invenire!"
Thesia's memory jolted, recognition sparking within her. "A light magic spell."
A luminous wave unfurled, cocooning Tyrin in a soft radiance. His cuts and bruises shimmered in the glow, stark against the brilliance.
One mage maintained the spell while the other intoned another incantation:
"Lux Sana!"
The highlighted wounds faded, dissolving like mist under the morning sun.
Color returned to Tyrin's skin, the pallor receding until only smooth, unblemished flesh remained.
Relief flooded Thesia's being. "He hasn't even noticed his injuries. He's been pushing forward since the moment he woke up. He'll be thrilled to learn more magic. It's time he starts studying conventional spells—not just *Natural Mana*."
The mages left the room without another word. As the door closed Tyrin woke up.
"Wait... What happened?!" Tyrin jumped from his rest, slightly panicked.
"You're fine Tyrin I'll show you what happened." Instantly Thesia's being merged with Tyrin's mind.
Tyrin saw the whole event unfold before him. It started with him stuffing his face, and the mages coming into the room.
"Wow That magic healed me??? I didn't know that was possible." Tyrin was excited. "Thesia I need you do help me."
"What do you need Tyrin?" Thesia asked.
"I need you to teach me magic." Tyrin pleaded.
"This is something I can do. Once we get out of here we will start right away."
Tyrin was happy, "Thank you Thesia!"
Their conversation came to sudden halt when the door to the room flew open again.
~~~
At the same time in the Royale Palace of Eldrida.
The flickering candlelight cast long shadows over the grand conference chamber, its towering walls sealing the King and Queen in uneasy solitude. No guards. No advisors. Only the weight of unspoken fears hung in the air.
"Do you believe it?" The King's voice was low, edged with something between doubt and dread. His embroidered robes shimmered faintly in the dim glow, a stark contrast to the storm darkening his gaze.
The Queen, poised and graceful, studied him with a furrowed brow. "Believe what, my love?" Her tone was careful, yet beneath the polished veneer lurked the echo of unshaken worry.
He exhaled sharply. "I felt it—something in Sunhollow Forest. It's back. The Echo has returned."
Silence followed, but only for a moment. The Queen straightened, her fingers brushing the cool surface of the polished table. "The Echo?" Her voice barely rose above a whisper. "It hasn't been seen in years… And if it's in Venzor, the Adventuring Capital..." She did not finish the thought—she didn't need to. They both knew what it meant.
The King's jaw tensed, his mind already racing beyond caution. "They will come for it." He pushed himself from his seat, pacing toward the heavy-set window, where the moon cast an eerie glow across the vast kingdom. "We must find who holds it. If it falls into the wrong hands, if an invasion begins—not again."
The Queen rose then, stepping closer, her voice firm despite the growing apprehension. "We must act quickly, before rumors spread. The Echo must be ours."
The King turned to her, a resolute fire in his eyes. "If we secure it, if we control it, we could finally take Nefaria head-on."
The flickering flames shuddered, as though the very air knew what was coming.
~~~
"Good good" A energetic man walked into the room that Tyrin was in. "It appears that the healers have already come to your aid. My name is Walker! I'm an advisor here at the guild!"
Tyrin barely had time to comprehend what was happening. Walker's words flowed smoothly just like his light silver hair.
"Hello? I'm not really sure what's happening. I'm not even sure where I am right now or how I got here. Do you think you could help me with that?" Tyrin asked.
"Oh boy I'm sure I can!"
Walker's youthful spirit was matched by his looks. His silver hair had streaks of blue, similar to Tyrin's brown hair with streaks of red. Walker stood about 1.82 meters(6 feet) tall.
When Tyrin looked up to Walker, He could tell that this person was someone he could trust and learn from.
Walker's face was battle hardened but delicate. It contained no signs of anger or hatred. Only sympathy.
"So your name's Tyrin right?"
"Yes sir!" Tyrin stood up realizing he was still sitting.
"Haha no need for formality." Walker laughed but quickly tilted his head showing interest, "so young and you already have your affinity? That is so awesome!! You must be gifted by mana!"
Walker gestured to The red colorization in Tyrin's hair.
"What's an affinity and what are you pointing at?" Tyrin asked confused realizing he doesn't know what he looks like.
"Oh yeah, you woke up in a fire right? I'm assuming that's all you remember. Let's start over right here then."
Walker proceeded to move his hands around similar to the healers, "Aqua Imago!" he said. A circle of pure blue light appeared above his hand. Coming out of it was a disc made of water.
"Well look here!" Walker said in his usual tone.
Tyrin looked into the mirror made of water and what he saw was very interesting.
*//I might use "Natural Mana" and "World Mana" interchangeably but they are the same thing.-Author//*