When Brett saw the queen’s spined leg whip out and slam into Josh’s, his stomach dropped. The sharp crack that followed made his heart lurch, he half-expected Josh to collapse, unable to bear his own weight.

  Idiot, he scolded himself. He’d been so caught up hurling firebolts at the monstrous wasp that he hadn’t spared a thought for shielding his friend or using any real defensive magic. Relief hit him like cool water when Carcan’s magic shimmered over Josh, mending the damage. When Josh tentatively put weight on his leg without crumpling, Brett almost whooped aloud.

  He threw himself into the fight with renewed focus, flinging bolt after bolt, each explosion chipping away at the queen’s movements until finally, she crashed to the forest floor.

  A grin split his face. Worry aside, he had to admit it: that had been fun. Each successful strike had built his confidence, the rhythm of spellcasting settling into his bones. As soon as the fight was over, he jogged to Josh’s side, scanning him up and down. No obvious injuries, thank the gods.

  They scanned through the loot, the dagger they’d recovered didn’t tempt him in the slightest. Better to sell it for gold than let it gather dust in his belt. What he was eager for, though, was the notification that had popped up mid-fight. He’d been itching to read it ever since he’d sprinted over to Josh, and he let out a breath of satisfaction as Josh’s gaze went distant, his friend must have been reading his own.

  [Congratulations! Your party has slain Level 5 Giant Wasp Queen!]

  [You have levelled up, reaching Level 3!]

  Brett pumped a fist. He’d stick to his plan for now, more Wisdom and Intelligence. The raw magical power felt good, and he wasn’t ready to dilute it by branching into Constitution or Dexterity just yet. Those could wait. Right now, he wanted more magical power. He quickly allocated his points before checking his stats page.

  Level - 3

  Class - Mage

  HP - 100

  MP - 200

  Str - 10

  Dex - 10

  Con - 10

  Int - 20

  Wis - 20

  He flicked his attention to the other notification he could see.

  [Congratulations! Your Spell Casting – Basic – has progressed to Adept!]

  [Congratulations! Your spell Firebolt – Basic – has progressed to Adept!]

  Oh, awesome! His grin widened. Stronger firebolts and hopefully less mana drain. That last part mattered more than he liked to admit. He glanced at his mana bar and felt his stomach tighten just 50MP left. And that was after gaining 30 extra points from his increased Wisdom. Thinking back, he realised just how recklessly he’d been throwing spells at the queen. Not all of them had hit… and more than a few had landed in less-than-ideal spots. Still, the fight had gone well. Everyone was alive. That was what mattered.

  Perberos’s voice snapped him back to the present, asking if they should move on and search the hive. Brett nodded, glancing toward the smoking wreckage. Most of the flames had guttered out, leaving only blackened trunks and a scorched clearing. The papery walls of the hive had burned away almost entirely.

  The group fanned out into the wreckage, nudging aside charred debris and the occasional bone, the origins of the bones Brett was trying very hard not to think about. Then Carcan’s voice rang out from the right.

  “I think I’ve found something!”

  Brett jogged over and froze. Nestled in the ash was a blackened skeleton, disturbingly human in shape. Beside it lay a leather satchel, untouched by fire. His stomach rolled. For a second, bile threatened to rise, had he just burned someone alive?

  Caistina’s hand came to rest lightly on his back, her tone steady, somehow reading his thoughts. “This poor soul was long dead before we arrived. Look closely, chew marks on the bones. Likely stored here as food, not killed in the fight. And… I believe you’ve completed another quest.” She nodded toward the bag. “That is the logo of the courier company you were tasked with locating.”

  Relief washed over him, cooling the nausea in his gut. He exhaled. “How did the bag survive the fire when everything else burned?”

  “I imagine it’s a magical courier’s bag,” she explained. “Like your satchels” she nodded towards Brett and Josh “they can hold far more than they appear and protect their contents from the elements. Expensive, but worth acquiring if you can.”

  Brett crouched and picked it up, surprised smooth it felt, unblemished after the fire. You wouldn’t know it had been sitting in the middle of a blazing hive. He doubted it held much, maybe just a letter, but he kept it slung over his shoulder.

  The rest of the search turned up nothing but more bones, animal and otherwise. Josh finally broke the silence. “So, do we go find the other quest or call it a day?”

  Brett glanced at the sky, midday, maybe. They’d made good time to the hive and spent less than two hours fighting.

  Perberos looked to his sister, who shrugged. “I’m fine to keep going. Another fight or two might push us all to Level 4, and more coin never hurts. The bag’s already our best reward today,” he added, nodding to Brett. “Dragonspine Ridge is only about thirty minutes from here.”

  “I’m in,” Brett said. “We need all the money we can get and I think Josh is due for some new armour. That hole in his shield’s not doing him any favours.”

  Josh blinked, confused, before tilting his shield upward. His face fell. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

  The jagged hole, punched clean through by the queen’s stinger, drew a chorus of laughter from the group. Even Josh chuckled as they finished combing through the debris and set off, swapping ideas on how to fight smarter next time.

  “Ok, how about we get our mana back quickly, eat some lunch, and then head on out?” Brett asked as he moved away from the hive, finding a good spot to meditate.

  —--

  The party found a quiet stretch of shade beneath a low cluster of trees just off the trail. The buzzing of the forest had dulled since the queen’s death, leaving an almost eerie calm. Brett watched as Josh eased himself down onto a fallen log, stretching out his leg to test it. It obviously still twinged, but not enough that his friend would say anything.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  They unpacked their lunches, simple bread, cheese, and dried meat and for a while the only sounds were the rustle of leaves and the occasional satisfied crunch. Brett and Carcan excused themselves, finding a comfortable patch of grass to cross their legs and close their eyes. The soft hum of mana filled the air as both mages slipped into meditation, drawing in power and smoothing out the strain of the battle.

  When they returned, Caistina was waiting with her arms folded. Her keen eyes flicked between the two of them.

  “You both did well,” she began, her tone even but carrying a teacher’s edge, “but against something like that queen, you can’t just rely on damage alone. Neither of you used a shield spell or a binding incantation, not once. If Josh had gone down, it would have been far harder to keep the fight in your favour.”

  Brett scratched the back of his neck, suddenly very interested in the patch of dirt at his feet. Carcan gave a curt nod, accepting the point without argument.

  “That said,” Caistina continued, the faintest smile tugging at her lips, “you all kept your heads. You adapted. And you didn’t let fear take over, which is more than I can say for some I’ve trained.”

  Josh gave a small grin at that, and even Brett felt a little swell of pride despite the criticism. Caistina’s praise was rare, and worth tucking away.

  “Next time,” she said, glancing meaningfully at the mages, “I expect to see those protective and control spells used. You’ve got the talent, now start using the full range of it.”

  Her gaze shifted to Josh and Perberos. “You two, steady work on the front line. Josh, you held position exactly as you should, and your timing on the taunts drew the queen’s focus when we needed it. You do need to gain a taunt skill though - talk to Admiir about that when we get back. Just remember that a shield wall isn’t unbreakable, positioning and movement matter as much as blocking. Perberos, your strikes were well-placed, but there were moments you hesitated. Against a faster opponent, that pause could cost you. Trust your weapon and your training.”

  Perberos gave a short nod, eyes lowered in thought. Josh rolled his shoulders, taking the advice in stride.

  Caistina straightened, brushing a strand of hair back behind her ear. “Brett mentioned earlier that the party could use another melee fighter,” she said. “I agree, but not another shield-bearer. What you need is someone who can hit hard, someone who can stand beside Josh, draw a part of the enemy's attention away from him, and cut down threats quickly. Another layer of defence, yes, but in the form of raw damage.”

  Josh could already picture how that would change their formation, less weight on his shoulders, more breathing room in a fight. The idea had merit.

  “Something to think on,” Caistina finished, glancing around at each of them in turn. “The right addition could make all the difference in difficult situations.” With that, she nodded, ending her advice session.

  They lingered only long enough to finish their meals and let the mages shake off the last of their meditation haze. Soon packs were repacked, and stray crumbs brushed away for the scavengers of the forest. The midday sun had shifted, spilling gold through the canopy, and the air was cooler now, good travelling weather.

  Josh cinched the straps on his pack and glanced at the others. “Dragonspire Ridge, then.”

  Brett gave a mock salute with his staff. “Lead the way, oh stalwart wall.”

  The trail bent eastward, winding through stands of tall pines where the wind carried the faint tang of stone and distant mineral springs. Somewhere beyond those trees, the jagged silhouette of Dragonspire Ridge would rise above the forest like a black crown. The name alone carried a weight, tales of scaled beasts, treasure hoards buried deep, and adventurers who never came back.

  Their boots crunched over the leaf-littered path, the forest around them alive with distant bird calls and the rustle of unseen creatures. Every now and then, Caistina’s gaze flicked up toward the ridge, her eyes narrowing as though measuring the distance in her head.

  For Brett, the steady rhythm of marching brought his mind into focus. This was where he felt most grounded, on the move, destination ahead, purpose clear. Whatever waited at Dragonspire Ridge, he intended to meet it head-on. The crunch of gravel and the occasional clink of gear filled the silence until Perberos finally spoke up.

  “By the way,” he said, glancing at Josh with a grin, “just call me Perb. Perberos feels… formal. Like you’re announcing me at a banquet.”

  Josh smirked. “Perb it is. What about your sister? Should we shorten Carcan to… Car?”

  Carcan’s eyes narrowed. “Absolutely not.”

  That earned a chuckle from Brett, and even Caistina’s lips curved slightly.

  Josh tilted his head. “So, noble-sounding names, a bit of formality… I’m guessing you two aren’t exactly farmhands?”

  Perb scratched the back of his neck. “Not exactly. Our family’s… well, not important enough to be at court, but important enough to be invited to court dinners. Father’s a minor lord, manages some lands a few days east of here. Mother runs the estate while he sits in council.”

  Carcan added, “Father believes travel builds character. And that siblings should rely on each other before anyone else. He said if we’re to inherit anything, we should first know what it’s like to live without servants at our backs.”

  “Sounds reasonable,” Josh said. “Hard lessons stick better than lectures.”

  Perb shrugged. “We’re still figuring out who to trust. Most people hear ‘noble’ and assume we’re coin purses on legs.”

  Brett shot him a lopsided grin. “Don’t worry, you’re safe with us. We’re not here for your coin. We’re…” He paused just a moment too long. “…from a little farm town west of Brightford. Spent our youth hauling nets and gutting trout. Figured we’d see what’s beyond the docks.” During their time training he’d managed to expand on their new back story a bit.

  Josh nodded smoothly. “Parents are still there. Small place, small lives, but… good people. We just wanted something bigger.”

  Carcan studied them a moment, as if weighing the truth of their words, then simply nodded. “Fair enough.”

  Perb smiled faintly. “Guess that makes us all out here chasing something.”

  The party’s footsteps slowed as the trees grew denser, the forest casting longer shadows beneath the afternoon sun. Brett glanced ahead, his eyes narrowing.

  “Hold up,” he said softly, signaling the group to pause.

  Josh stepped forward, scanning the underbrush. “Tracks,” he muttered, crouching to inspect the disturbed earth. “Fresh. I think they’re from goblins, maybe a pack moving through recently.” Concern flicked between the party though, as one of the sets of prints was much bigger than the others.

  Carcan’s brow furrowed. “I don’t like this.”

  Perb unsheathed his sword and nodded toward a thicket to their right. “Over there, some broken branches. Looks like something heavy pushed through.”

  Brett held his staff defensively, eyes sharp. “Everyone stay alert. We don’t want to get caught off guard.”

  Josh exchanged a quick look with Perb. “You said you’ve traveled before, any idea what might be lurking? We’ve fought goblins before, and they’re not very big.”

  Perb’s smile was tight. “Plenty of things in these woods that don’t want visitors. Wolves, maybe some goblins. Could even be something bigger.”

  Carcan shifted closer to Brett. “We’ll have to be ready. This could be a test of how well we work as a team.”

  Josh cracked a half-smile. “Nothing like a bit of danger to bond a party together, huh?”

  Brett laughed quietly, but the tension hung thick as they cautiously moved forward, senses sharpened, and the forest around them suddenly feeling much less friendly. Without another word, the party carried on their march towards the distant ridgeline.

  After half an hour of walking and coming across nothing, the forest thinned, the canopy giving way to streaks of open sky. Ahead, the jagged outline of Dragonspire Ridge loomed larger with every step, dark stone peaks clawing at the clouds. The air changed too, losing the freshness of the deeper woods. It carried a dry, metallic tang, like the scent of old iron left to rust.

  “Smells like a forge up there,” Perberos muttered, his voice low.

  Brett’s eyes darted to the ridgeline. “Or a dragon’s breath.”

  No one laughed at the joke. The trail underfoot became rougher, climbing steadily, loose gravel crunching beneath their boots. Scattered boulders, some scorched black, lined the path. A few bore strange claw marks gouged deep into their surfaces, far too large to belong to any forest predator they knew.

  A sudden stillness settled over the trees. Birdsong faded. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.

  Josh rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, scanning the trail ahead. “Anyone else feel like we’re being… watched?”

  Caistina gave a small nod, her gaze sweeping the rocky outcroppings. “Not watched. Measured. Something’s deciding if we’re worth the trouble.” They kept moving, slower now, each footstep deliberate. Somewhere up ahead, the ridge waited, not just as a quest location, but as a test.

  Tracks fade fast in these woods, traveler.

  A follow leaves your mark —

  a review ensures others can find the trail again.