A flicker of red light twinkles in Elara’s eyes as Wyn shakes her hand. Concern pools in Wyn’s gut, and her body goes cold. Before she can examine the feeling, two notifications occupy her focus.

  Experience Share Established.

  You are now providing a portion of your experience to Elara Benith

  Quest Accepted!

  Region Quest: The Goblin Threat

  Sub-quest: Know Thy Enemy

  In order to terminate your partnership with Elara Benith, you must complete this quest.

  The cold clenching in Wyn’s chest loosens as a gentle warm sensation washes across her mind. The unease slips away with surprising ease, leaving her strangely calm. She is not thrilled about Elara taking a share of her experience, but Wyn doubts she could have completed the quest alone. Having Elara’s help is worth it.

  "That is that then. When do we get started?" Wyn asks.

  "Get some rest and make sure your Essentia pool is full. We always start our days with some training before heading out for quest objectives."

  "Perfect," Wyn says. "How long before we get back to town though? I have been in the game for about a week and still have not logged out. My family might get worried."

  "That is a problem."

  Elara considers the issue for a moment, then takes a crystal from her inventory. Energy ripples beneath the surface and under the flicker of firelight. Wyn swears she sees wisps of Lethisburg drifting across it.

  "This is a transportation crystal. Most adventurers do not go into the wilds without one. Once we get through tomorrow, use it to get back to Lethisburg and the logout tavern. Try not to take too long. I would hate to finish this quest without you."

  Wyn takes the crystal and places it in her inventory.

  Item: Transportation Crystal

  Description: A crystal allowing instant transportation to a bound location.

  Bound Location: Lethisburg Mercantile District

  "How do I use it?"

  "Simple. Just channel some Essentia into it and it will teleport you in a few minutes. Do not try to use it in combat. The game blocks crystal teleportation then."

  "Noted. Sounds like a bad mistake to make."

  Elara nods and gestures to one of the four tents nearby. "Rennick does not sleep much, so he will keep watch. You can take his tent tonight."

  "Sure he will not barge in on me while I am sleeping?"

  "No, he is slimy but trustworthy. I will let him know to give you space."

  "Good. I do not want to wake up to him looming over me. He seems the type."

  "Oh no, he is mostly harmless," Tilly says. "Just do not mess with his knives. He gets very protective."

  Wyn winces and steps toward the tent. "Yeah, no thanks. I am good."

  She pulls back the flap and settles in for the night.

  The next morning, Wyn awakes to the sound of birds chirping and the scent of a delicious breakfast. The smell of sizzling sausage and sweet cakes grips her hungry stomach, and she realizes just how hungry she is. Wyn equips her robes, grabs her essentia generator, and leaps out of the tent with surprising energy.

  Tilly tends a campfire, roasting sausages and some sort of hardy sweetened oatcake in a skillet. She waves to Wyn, who drools at the smell.

  "Someone is hungry. Take a sausage."

  Tilly tosses a plate of sausage toward her, and Wyn snatches it with quick hands, devouring the first one almost before it hits her tongue.

  "Oh dear. Slow down."

  "Sorry," Wyn says, mumbling through a half-eaten sausage, though her grin does not fade.

  Tilly pulls a few more sausages from the pan and sets them to cook.

  "I think I will need a few more sausages than usual today," she says with a grin. "Elara, Timnos, and Rennick are already up. They went for a run early this morning to get training started. I got stuck with breakfast duty."

  Wyn bobs her head, already finishing the last bite on her plate. "They must have been up really early. Guess I slept harder than I thought."

  Tilly eyes her for a moment, then shrugs and hands her another sausage.

  A few moments later, Wyn hears Elara approach. Sweat slicks Elara’s arms and neck, her dark training shirt clinging to the firm lines of muscle across her shoulders. Timnos and Rennick trail behind Elara. Timnos looks irritated he hasn’t beaten her back to camp, and Rennick looks like he enjoyed watching him try.

  Wyn stares a moment too long at Elara’s form without her heavy armor. Elara raises an eyebrow, and Wyn snaps her gaze away as if nothing happened.

  Elara gives her a curt nod. “Morning, you two. Breakfast ready soon?”

  “Tilly’s finishing it up,” Tilly says. “Sausages and sweet cakes! Come, eat before it cools.”

  Tilly passes plates piled high with food, and they all dig in, except for Elara, who uses the time to sharpen her greatsword.

  “How far did you run?” Wyn asks between bites.

  “Circuits around the ridge,” Elara says. “Good training ground.”

  “Some of us could’ve kept going,” Timnos insists.

  Rennick smirks, his voice carrying a hissing retort. “Some of us nearly kissed a tree root.”

  Timnos bristles. “I tripped on purpose.”

  “Sure,” Rennick murmurs.

  Tilly hides a giggle behind her cup.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Wyn grins at all of it, perhaps a bit wider than she expected, and for a heartbeat, a strange tug flutters in her chest, off-key and fleeting, gone before she can name it.

  Elara finishes her plate and rises, brushing dirt from her hands. “If you’re done eating, gather your things. Let’s get started with training.”

  Wyn jumps to her feet. “Let’s do it!”

  Elara’s mouth curves in a small, amused smile. “Good. I’ll get everything set up while you pack up camp.”

  After clearing up the camp and stuffing everything into Tilly’s inventory, the group gathers in a clearing behind their campsite. A series of colored stones and pieces of fabric mark a winding trail, weaving through trees up and up a rocky ridge. Atop the ridge, Elara places a training dummy, battered from dozens of training sessions just like this one.

  Elara stands near the first marker, arms crossed, watching the group approach. Her expression is calm but commanding.

  “Agility drill,” she announces. “Touch each marker in order, then finish with a strike on the dummy. Twice through the course. Timnos, start us off.”

  Timnos steps forward with a self-satisfied grin. Blue flames flicker around his hands, casting dancing shadows over his pale features. Much to Wyn’s disappointment, Timnos moves quickly and skillfully through the agility training course. He darts between the stones, launching through each of the obstacles with ease. Reaching the rocky cliff face, Timnos launches up in a magically charged leap. He almost leaps all the way but falls just short, tripping over himself. He grumbles and gets back up, scrambling up the rocks without any magical assistance. With a final burst of his blue flames striking the target, his run of the training course is complete.

  Elara shakes her head. “Not bad. But don’t get fancy. Keep it simple. It’s better to do good work than to fall flat on your face trying to look cool.”

  Timnos scowls but steps aside with a muttered, “Whatever.”

  Tilly bounds up next, cheeks flushed. Her compact frame moves as fast as she can manage, darting between the obstacles. Her feet trip once on loose dirt but recover quickly with a nervous laugh. She reaches the dummy slower than Timnos and nudges the dummy with a paw.

  Elara’s tone softens. “Good effort, Tilly. Focus on steady steps and balance. Speed will come.”

  Rennick slides forward with the quiet grace of a shadow. His movements are minimal but precise, each step deliberate. With a gait more akin to gliding than running, he drifts through the course far easier than either Timnos or Tilly. His strike hits the dummy hard enough to make it shudder. Wyn shakes off a chill. His gliding run made her feel far too uneasy.

  “Efficient,” Elara says flatly.

  Timnos mutters under his breath, “Creepy.”

  Rennick’s eyes flash briefly, but he says nothing.

  “Wyn, you’re up,” Elara says.

  She swallows, feeling the weight of the staff in her hands. She steps up and takes a deep breath to calm her racing heart. Wyn doesn’t want her first time training with this group to be an embarrassment.

  Her feet are quick and light, weaving between the markers with surprising speed. One marker almost escapes her notice, and she stumbles but pivots her body just right to keep going.

  Wyn reaches the dummy and swings.

  The staff thumps against it, jolting her arms. A sting runs up her forearms, and she winces.

  Elara’s gaze sharpens. “Magic suits you better than muscle.”

  Wyn shrugs, brushing damp hair out of her eyes. “Noted.”

  She breathes deep and steps back to the start.

  “Again,” Elara commands. “Same order.”

  Timnos, Tilly, and Rennick move through the course again, each repeating their earlier performances with less flair and steadier focus. Timnos runs through without unnecessary flair, Tilly’s steps are more confident, and Rennick’s gliding run is as smooth and unsettling as before.

  Wyn steps forward, her breath steady. Her eyes lock on each marker as she plots out her course. She approaches her second round like a puzzle, trying to plan her approach throughout the course.

  “You’re wasting time. Get a move on,” Elara orders.

  Wyn nods, pushing herself harder as she launches forward. Each step falls with intention, just as she planned. She twists and turns through the course, no longer rushing but flowing through the path with a rhythm that surprises her. Her feet find balance on uneven dirt and loose stones. When she reaches the dummy, she pulls back and strikes with a satisfying thud.

  Elara approaches, expression calm but attentive. “Better,” she says. “You’re learning quickly, Wyn. Your footwork is cleaner, your timing tighter. That’s what I want to see.”

  She taps the staff. “But don’t forget, control means more than hitting hard. Your elbows lock too much. You’re too stiff. Try to stay loose and fluid. Strength comes from how well you move, not just muscle.”

  Wyn nods, wiping sweat from her brow, eager to take it in. “Got it.”

  Elara’s gaze narrows just a little, thoughtful. “We’ll work on your stance and flow in the coming weeks. Magic is your edge, but your body has to keep up. Balance is everything.”

  Elara turns her attention from Wyn back to the full group. “Speaking of magic, it’s time for some essentia training.”

  Timnos groans. “Again?”

  “Yes, we do it again. A wizard such as yourself ought to be eager to continue this sort of training.”

  Timnos grumbles but takes out his essentia generator. Tilly and Wyn follow suit with their own, though Rennick sits to the side watching them.

  “First, I want you to make a mote of essentia.” Elara looks to Wyn. “You know how to do that?”

  Wyn nods, eager to prove herself. She holds out her hand, and a small glowing dot of pure essentia forms above her palm.

  Elara purses her lips, eyeing Wyn’s mote. Tilly gasps, and Wyn can almost feel Timnos rolling his eyes at her.

  “How did you do that so easily?” Tilly asks, shocked.

  Wyn shrugs. “Magic comes easy to me.”

  Not to be outdone, Timnos holds out his hand and forms his own mote of magic. Sweat forms on his brow as his muscles tense with the effort. It takes some doing, but Timnos manages to form a mote of his own. It is quite a bit larger than Wyn’s, though Timnos is clearly having a hard time maintaining it.

  “Timnos, stop trying to force it. Essentia responds to your mind, not your effort. Forcing it to move will fail you. Take a note after Wyn, moved it with her mind only.”

  Timnos exhales, releasing his mote, which flickers and vanishes.

  Elara steps forward, her gaze sharp. “Draw the energy out of your essentia pool; don’t force it. You don’t wrestle it into shape; you coax it, like a stream guided by your will.”

  She moves to Tilly. “Your turn. Let’s see if you can manage it today.”

  Tilly furrows her brow. Seconds pass as her hands tremble. Unlike Timnos, Tilly’s hands shake not front effort, but from a constant nervous energy. A faint glow gathers but flickers and fades before fully forming.

  Tilly opens her eyes, frustrated. “I don’t get it. It just won’t stay.”

  Wyn watches her with sympathy. “Maybe you are thinking too much?”

  Timnos scoffs. “Maybe she’s just not cut out for it.”

  Tilly shoots him a glare, but before she can answer, Wyn glances over at Rennick, who has been silently watching the whole time.

  “Rennick,” Wyn asks, “why aren’t you making a mote? Don’t you have an essentia abilities too?”

  Elara answers for him. “Rennick’s class gives him a natural affinity that’s dangerous to work with. His making a mote would end up creating a poisonous gas.”

  The group falls silent for a moment before Elara speaks again. Rennick says nothing, but continues his staring.

  “Now, Tilly. Try again, but let go of the need to control. Feel the flow. Imagine the essentia as a friend you want to invite, not an enemy to control.”

  Tilly closes her eyes, breath steadying. Slowly, a small mote flickers to life above her palm. It wobbles, nearly fading, but she holds her focus.

  A small smile breaks through her frustration. “There. It’s still shaky, but it’s there.”

  Elara nods approvingly. “Good. That is progress. Essentia is as much about patience and trust as it is about strength.”

  She looks at the whole group. “Now, let us move on to moving your motes without touching them.”

  Elara steps forward, her gaze steady. “Alright, one more round for today. Move your motes without touching them. It’s harder to move essentia outside your body than inside it.”

  The group settles in, hands outstretched, eyes locked on the tiny orbs of essentia floating above their palms. Tilly with the most fragile control struggles, her mote fizzling out at once with Timnos not doing much better. Elara watches Wyn closely as she shifts the mote slowly around in her palm.

  Then, a sharp, acrid scent drifts on the breeze. A sulfuric scent, unmistakable. Eyes glance at the treeline behind Rennick, who stops twirling his knife.

  Rennick makes eye contact with Elara. “Incoming.”

  A group of a dozen boomfrogs, some of them warrior boomfrogs, charge into the clearing, spewing gusts of flame in their direction. Wyn activates her Fortify Self ability, blocking most of the damage, while the others scatter to dodge the flurry of attacks.

  Elara’s expression sharpens as she dons her armor. “The enemy came to us. How convenient.”

  Timnos tenses, muscles coiling. Tilly’s ears flatten in alarm. Wyn grips her staff tighter. Rennick moves like a shadow, silent and precise. Two boomfrogs fall to his blades, his movements fluid and unnervingly calm.

  An elder boomfrog lumbers into view, its throat swollen and glowing a deep red. The sulfurous smell thickens, choking the air.

  Elara’s voice cuts sharp through the tension. “Hold your ground. Work together!”

  The fight presses on, coordinated strikes and defensive maneuvers pushing the elder boomfrog back step by step. Wyn can only watch as the coordinated team of fighters tears through the elder boomfrog with ease. It’s on its last legs when its gaze shifts without warning. Its eyes glaze over, and without warning the beast lets out a howl. The remaining boomfrogs turn tail and run, hearing the elder boomfrog’s howl. Acting less like a horde of beasts, and more like a coordinated team themselves.

  As she watches the boomfrogs running back into the trees, Wyn glimpses something strange. From the treeline behind the beast, a shadow flickers. A small, cloaked figure slipping between the trees just out of sight. Wyn catches only a glimpse: green skin, and yellow eyes gleaming faintly in the gloom. A goblin.

  Wyn’s attention shifts back to the Elder Boomfrog. Its swollen throat throbs, glowing brighter as it shifts its stance.

  “Defensive positions!” Elara calls out.

  Then, to everyone’s surprise, it abruptly ceases its attack and backs away, following an invisible order. The goblin raises a hand, voice low but authoritative. Though its words are lost in the distance, the boomfrog clearly obeys, retreating swiftly into the shadows.

  Before anyone can react, the goblin melts back into the forest, vanishing without a trace.

  Elara’s eyes narrow, voice low but firm. “That wasn’t natural. That creature was under control. Something else is here.”