Umber’s First Darksday of Harvestfall, 1442, market plaza, city of Luminara.


    Leoric and Elyssia had, just moments ago, passed through the visitor’s checkpoint of the city of Lights.


    The guards barely inspected them, waving them through. Their smiles easy at the sight of the pair’s light-hearted bickering.


    This majestic homini metropolis was nothing like the peaceful meadows and tucked-away cottages of Leoric’s starting city, Zephyrdale, where lush green hills stretched to the horizon and simple folk tended their gardens in the quiet of earthen homes.


    Nor did it resemble Altansuun, the rugged village of Elyssia’s nomadic people, where towering palisades encircled yurts, and the scent of open fires and the sound of galloping hooves were constant under an endless sky.


    They soon reached a wide, open area. The warm glow of lanterns spilled across the bustling market plaza, casting long shadows as the sun dipped below the horizon.


    The air was thick with the mingled scents of spices, freshly baked bread, and the salty tang of the sea. Music mixed with the hubbub of the crowd of the busy market. The sound of waves crashing at the base of the cliffs was barely audible in the distance.


    To one side, blocking a side street leading away from the central plaza, a large crowd stood, enthralled by a display neither of them could quite see. Yet, the sounds of gasps and murmurs made it clear: something unseen gripped their attention.


    Elyssia shot Leoric a look, one eyebrow raised in silent question.


    He shrugged. She smiled, assuming it meant something like “Sure, why not?”


    They approach the dense crowd.


    A prickle of unease crawled up Elyssia’s spine as the two of them squeezed their way through.


    She slipped through the crowd with effortless grace. Leoric moved forward, the crowd parting as soon as they noticed him approaching.


    Well, that’s convenient. Lucky rabbit.


    But as she finally reached the edge of the crowd, Elyssia’s smile failed at the unexpected sight.


    Or perhaps it was more accurate to say it faded as she her blood froze, mouth open in disbelief.


    Before her, she saw Vaelith, her fragile, easy-going friend, dancing in the arms of a blonde beauty—a predatory goddess of a felinae.


    The way the cat’s blonde tail flicked and brushed against Vaelith’s golden tail, the flush on the dracan’s cheeks, and the trembling in her limbs told Elyssia everything.


    The cat was toying with her, twisting her about, making a spectacle of her.


    Vaelith was blushing, speechless. Defenseless. And utterly exposed.


    “You’ll see it soon enough,” the seductive succubus murmured, her voice low and rich with promise. “You were born for this.”


    A rush of outrage surged through Elyssia. Outrage, yes, but shame too—the later on Vaelith’s behalf.


    But beneath it all, a flicker of doubt gnawed at her.


    How had things come to this? Why had Vaelith not messaged her?


    But now was the time for action—she kept repeating to Leoric how he should not overthink on the way to the city.


    So she followed her instincts. Her body moved before her mind could catch up, control slipping away.


    She stepped forward, shouting at the top of her lungs, “What the hell is going on here?!”


    Elyssia’s voice thundered across the plaza, silencing the crowd’s hum. Every gaze, including Vaelith’s wide, startled eyes, snapped to her. She stood at the edge of the gathering, her anger as sharp and unyielding as steel.


    Not far beside her, Leoric also emerged from the crowd, his steps slower, more deliberate as he took in the scene unfolding before him.


    Vaelith froze. The cat’s tail gave a playful flick, but her emerald green eyes narrowed, glinting with something sharp as she watched Elyssia approach.


    “Oh, so this is our infamous sylvani,” she chuckled, her smirk widening. “I was wondering how long it would take you.”


    Elyssia did not slow down. She was on Vaelith in seconds, her hand reaching out to grasp her friend’s arm, pulling her back from her captor’s orbit with a protective, almost possessive motion. Vaelith offered little resistance, but appeared both surprised and embarrassed.


    “What do you think you’re doing?” Elyssia’s voice was low and dangerous, her gaze locked on the sultry catgirl, who stood unfazed amidst the tension.


    The onlookers in the crowd shifted, murmurs passing through them as they watched the scene unfold.


    “Relax,” the blonde said lightly, though the gleam in her eyes suggested anything but. “Vaelith and I were just giving the crowd a show. We were just waiting—she couldn’t stop talking about you, you know that?”


    Vaelith looked conflicted. Her gaze darted between Elyssia and the other women, mouth agape. She appeared on the verge of retreat. Elyssia gave her a comforting look and protectively step in front of her.


    She then turned her eyes back on to the blonde’s cool, predatory grin. And she glared at her.


    Leoric stepped to her side, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    “Hey, let’s not make a scene,” he said, trying to inject calm into the situation.


    His gaze flicked to the crowd, and Elyssia did the same. She noticed the way they watched with wide eyes, their attention no longer on the goods in the marketplace but on the four of them.


    Leoric shook his head. “We’re drawing way too much attention.”


    Elyssia’s jaw clenched, but she did not let go of Vaelith. “I don’t care about the crowd. I care about whatever the hell this is.” She jerked her chin toward Vaelith’s tormentor, her tone dripping with disdain.


    The latter’s smile only widened, leaning back casually as though she were watching a show she had directed. “‘This’ is Kaelyn. The priest you had your friend recruit for you. Surely you remember asking her to do that?”


    Leoric shot her a sharp look, his frustration barely concealed. “Stay quiet.”


    But she just shrugged, unfazed. “Why should I, bello? The world is a stage.”


    He ignored her attempt at provoking him. Leoric focused his attention on the crowd now, his expression hardening as the bystanders’ whispers grew louder and more agitated.


    “They’re staring,” Vaelith whispered, her voice trembling. Her tail shifting nervously as she tugged at a pendant.


    Elyssia’s gaze softened as she turned to look at her. Her eyes caught the reflection of the light on her golden scales on her cheeks.


    The people in the crowd were not reacting yet, but she could sense it. Before long, they would act and break up their quarrel. And if they did, who knew whose group they would side with? Elyssia had to admit that right now, she looked like the aggressor.


    Leoric stepped away from Kaelyn, moving protectively as to form a wall between Vaelith and the onlookers. “We need to move,” he said, his voice meant for Elyssia but loud enough for all to hear. “Now, before this turns any uglier.”


    Elyssia’s grip on Vaelith loosened slightly, though her eyes remained locked on Kaelyn. “Fine. But we’re not done.” Her voice a warning, and the unspoken threat hung in the air between them.


    Kaelyn raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in her gaze. “Of course we’re not. I’m here for the long run, cari?o.”


    Leoric took a few steps away from the commotion. “Let’s go.”


    He glanced back at Elyssia, who returned a sharp nod, then at Vaelith, whose wide, nervous eyes still looked as lost as ever.


    As the three turned to leave the market square, Vaelith cast one last glance back at Kaelyn. Elyssia protectively peeked over her shoulder.


    The catgirl’s eyes were still tracking Vaelith, like a shadow she could not shake. Kaelyn’s tail swished lazily, her grin never fading.


    “I’ll be right behind you, mi diosa,” Kaelyn said, calling after them, her voice soft but carrying across the plaza. “I’ll give you two love-bird a minute to catch up.”


    Vaelith pulled her cloak tighter around her as she followed Elyssia and Leoric into the night.


    Elyssia heard Kaelyn addressing the crowd, masterfully quieting them with humour.


    “Sorry for the abrupt end to tonight’s event, mis amigos. It seems a little bird had its feathers ruffled, but don’t worry—it’s nothing a little kiss won’t fix.”


    The whispers of the crowd lingered behind as Leoric lead them into some narrow streets. The tension from the confrontation faded, albeit slowly, like fog dissolving under the warmth of the morning sun.


    As they walked, Kaelyn took one of Vaelith’s hand in hers.


    “You okay?”


    Vaelith, startled, hesitated a little. She then nodded meekly.


    At least there’s that.


    <hr>


    Well, that just happened. What was going on? Hell, I’m not sure—this is so unlike the Elyssia I know.


    Leoric walked in silence behind Elyssia, his steps deliberate as he tried to make sense of what just unfolded in the market square. The tension between Elyssia and Kaelyn lingered in the air like a storm waiting to break.


    Meanwhile, the little dracan was as silent as the grave. He could practically feel the weight of her discomfort, her short frame practically disappearing between him and Elyssia.


    His eyes studied the mage for a moment.


    She walked with her head down, her golden tail twitching nervously behind her as if it had a mind of its own.


    She seemed fragile, timid, and he could not help but feel a rush of protectiveness. It was an odd sensation—he had no connection to her, not really—but something about her triggered something deep in him.


    She reminded him of his life as Sophie—no, more like the version of Sophie that Daniel had always wanted.


    Quiet, deferential, someone who played the supporting role without question.


    His brow furrowed in frustration.


    That’s not who she should be. That’s not who anyone should be.


    He wanted to shake her, tell her to stand up straight, look people in the eye, and stop cowering in the shadows. But that was not his place—he barely knew her.


    He glanced ahead, watching Elyssia’s stiff back as she strode with determined anger. And Elyssia clearly felt something deeper, he thought. He had never seen her like this—so fierce, so protective.


    The woman he had met on the road had always been the free spirit, the one who seemed above all the surrounding chaos.


    But here she was, ready to tear apart a felinae priestess for her friend’s sake.


    What did I miss?


    This girl, she was not just another party member to Elyssia—there was history here, something he had not been privy to yet.


    Then there was Kaelyn.


    Leoric’s jaw tightened as he thought about the way she had manipulated the situation in the square, turning Vaelith into a spectacle, using her like a prop. It grated on him.


    Kaelyn wielded femininity like a weapon—she played up her looks, used her tail like a lure, and seemed to revel in the power she could draw from people’s attention.


    In some ways, he admired her confidence; she was not ashamed of who she was—unapologetically herself, in a way that felt both alluring and dangerous.


    But it made him uncomfortable, too.


    Women shouldn’t have to do that to get ahead.


    He frowned, shaking his head.


    Why am I bothered by this so much?


    He was a man. Or at least, he looked like one now. A beautiful, perfect version of what he’d always thought a man should be—independent, capable, confident.


    And yet, when he saw Kaelyn using her femininity as a weapon, it stirred something in him. Something he could not quite untangle.


    Leoric let out a breath, his fingers brushing over the string of his bow to ground himself.


    I need to focus.


    His job was to mediate this situation, keep the group together. Elyssia’s protective rage, Vaelith’s silence, Kaelyn’s manipulations—it was a mess.


    But they needed to move forward, not tear each other apart.


    He slowed his steps, catching up with Elyssia and resting a hand on her arm.


    He spoke calmly, not wanting to trigger another outburst. “Hey, take it easy. We will get nowhere if we’re all ready to snap.”


    Elyssia glanced back at him, her eyes still burning with the remnants of her earlier fury.


    “She was—” she started, but Leoric shook his head.


    “I know,” he said. “But we need to handle this carefully. The crowd... the way they looked at her...” He lowered his voice, glancing over at the silent dracan girl. “It’s not just about us anymore.”


    Elyssia’s gaze softened, if only slightly. She turned to face her friend, her shoulders dropping as the anger ebbed. “I know… I just—” she sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “How can I just stand by, seeing her like that?”


    Leoric nodded, his eyes lingering on the dracan. “Me neither. But we will not help her by blowing up.”


    Elyssia’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she did not argue. Instead, she glanced back towards her friend. “We need to find somewhere safe. Somewhere quiet.”


    Leoric agreed, though his mind wandered back to Kaelyn.


    And what about her?


    She had followed them, no doubt, and was probably already planning her next move. He did not trust her, not one bit.


    But if she was going to be part of their party, they would need to learn to work together. Even if that meant keeping a closer eye on her than he had expected.


    They walked in silence for a few more moments, the sounds of the bustling city slowly fading as they moved in quieter streets. Leoric’s thoughts churned as he tried to piece together the group he had fallen in with.


    Elyssia—his compass, his guide, but clearly carrying burdens he hadn’t fully grasped yet.


    The dracan mage—silent, fragile, but there was something more there, something deeper that he felt compelled to uncover.


    And Kaelyn—dangerous, manipulative, but undeniably powerful in her own right.


    What have I gotten myself into?