They reached the edge of the plains and stepped out onto the rough, packed earth. Eira immediately stumbled to the side of the road and threw up, her stomach churning from the journey. Dain held her shoulder, steadying her until the spasms passed.

  “From here, stay sharp,” Arsha warned, her playful tone gone. Her eyes scanned the tall, waving grasses with predatory focus. “Kobolds love to ambush from the brush.”

  Eira took a nervous sip of water, her senses on high alert.

  The surroundings seemed deceptively peaceful. Birds wheeled in the clear blue sky, their songs mingling with the whisper of the wind through the grass. It was hard to believe any danger lurked here. But this was the wild, and the monsters that called it home were predators. Adventurers were forbidden from killing non-hostile creatures except for food—a rule that felt abstract until you were standing in their territory.

  After a brief rest and quick lunch, they prepared to march.

  “Can I start practicing now, Master?” Eira asked, her dizziness replaced by a buzz of nervous energy.

  “Go ahead,” Arsha approved. “But don’t strain your mind. And if you see a kobold,” she added with a wicked grin, “shoot without hesitation.”

  Arsha laughed as Eira flinched.

  Eira began, reciting the spell under her breath. A weak spark, little more than a static shock, fizzled at her fingertips.

  “Whoa, you’re talented, Eira!” Arsha said, genuinely impressed. “A visible spark on your first real attempt is rare.”

  “I am?”

  “Without a doubt.”

  “Thank you,” Eira replied, her face hardening with determination. “But talent is worthless if it can’t be controlled.”

  She grew intensely focused, her competitive spirit igniting. Dain watched from the side; he’d seen that look before. She practiced as they walked, visualizing the flow of energy Arsha had described. With each attempt, the spark grew brighter, the faint crackle of ionized air following her hand. She started to experiment, trying to bend the bolt’s path to make it arc.

  Until…

  “Shhh.” Dain raised a clenched fist, bringing them to a dead stop.

  Eira froze, her question silent in her eyes.

  The only sound was the wind. Then, a faint rustle. Two kobolds emerged from the grass ahead, their scaly hides blending with the foliage.

  Dain shot a glance at Arsha—a silent conversation between veterans. She nodded, her fingers already weaving through the air. With a soft crackle, a faint purple current shot out, enveloping the two kobolds with shock. They shuddered and froze, locked in place by the paralyzing arc.

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  Dain moved rapidly. He closed the distance in two strides, his sword a silver arc that cleanly severed both creatures before they could yelp. But the thud of their bodies hitting the ground was enough. From the bushes, answering howls erupted—sharp, guttural cries that multiplied, surrounding them.

  “Prepare for combat, Eira,” Arsha commanded. “This will be your first practical exam.”

  A pack of a dozen kobolds surged from the grass, teeth bared. Dain planted his feet like a wall while the two mages fanned out behind him.

  “Just don’t hit Dain,” Arsha joked.

  “I’ll try!” Eira squeaked, her hands trembling.

  “Dain! Hold the line. Don’t kill them all yet!” Arsha shouted.

  “Tch… understood,” Dain grunted, settling into a defensive stance.

  The first kobolds reached him. He stood like a rock, his blade a whirlwind of deflections and punishing pommel-strikes.

  Fzzz—CRACK!

  A bolt of lightning, sharp and precise, shot past Dain’s shoulder and struck a lead kobold. The creature seized violently, its fur smoking, before collapsing. Two more lunged. Dain parried a jagged knife and planted a heavy kick in the chest of another, sending it flying. Before it hit the ground, a second bolt from Arsha caught it mid-air, finishing it with terrifying accuracy.

  Eira stared, mesmerized. Arsha hadn’t flinched, her aim perfect despite Dain’s close-quarters dance with the enemy.

  “See that, Eira?” Arsha called, not taking her eyes off the fight. “Track the enemy’s rhythm, but always know where your ally is. Predict the flow of battle. When an opening appears, strike without a second thought. Now, you try.”

  “Haaah…” Eira exhaled a slow, steadying breath, forcing her nerves to still.

  Another kobold broke from the pack, claws raking toward Dain’s side. In a move that was pure instinct, Dain sidestepped, grabbed the creature by the scruff of its neck, and hurled it high into the air—a perfect, stationary target.

  Eira’s focus narrowed to a single point. She thrust her hand forward. “Lightning Bolt!”

  A jagged streak of white-hot energy erupted from her fingertips, striking the kobold with a satisfying thwump. It fell to the earth, limp.

  “I did it!” she cheered, a wave of exhilaration washing over her.

  “Eira, don’t take your eyes off the target,” Arsha reminded her sharply. “Look! It’s still twitching.”

  “R-right. Noted,” Eira stammered, her triumph instantly tempered.

  “Dain! What the hell was that?!” Arsha rounded on him. “Grabbing and throwing? Are you a warrior or a circus performer? Don’t coddle her too much!”

  Eira looked back and forth in confusion.

  “She might shoot me!” Dain argued back. “Would you prefer I stood still and hoped for the best?”

  Their bickering was cut short as Dain efficiently dispatched the remaining wounded kobolds. No sooner had he finished than another wave of howls sounded, closer this time.

  “Enough chatter. Let’s move,” Dain ordered.

  They advanced, cutting a path through the patrols. With the combined magic of Arsha and Eira backed by Dain’s unbreakable defense, they moved like a well-oiled machine, reducing the skirmishes to mere target practice.

  Soon, the terrain began to change, and they arrived at the ambush site.

  “We’re here. The crate should be close,” Arsha stated, her eyes scanning the scattered debris from the merchant’s carriage.

  They moved carefully through the wreckage.

  “Over here,” Dain called, pulling a sturdy wooden crate from behind a thicket. A bright red symbol was painted on its side.

  It was a perfect match.

  “Affirmative,” Arsha confirmed. “The markings match. Objective secured.”