Author's Preface
A week later, Ryan sat in Nyx's office, his feet planted firmly on the table.
"So, it seems you gained more than you had hoped on your trip," Nyx said as he sipped his tea.
"I suppose I did."
"You must not use your power so brazenly, though, Kade."
Ryan tilted his head. "Look, I'm not trying to hide what I am, just who I am. If someone tries to hurt Sam, I'll use everything in my arsenal to destroy them." Ryan paused for a moment. The words had flowed out of his mouth so easily that it caught him off guard.
"Seems shadows aren't the only thing you gained. Seems you care for the young prince."
"Apparently. After meeting Vaelor and Aldemere's prince, how could I not? He's a good kid with a good heart. He's just too innocent and naive."
"Then I hope you continue to be his sword, Kade."
Ryan put his hands up. "I like him. We're friends. But I'm no one's sword."
"You may become the sword everyone fears, Kade. A man who commands an army of shadows is a man to be feared. Not everyone will take to you as I have, or as the third prince has. Please be mindful of that going forward."
"I don't miss these little talks."
Nyx laughed. "Here is your new plaque. I have nothing else for you at the moment. You're free... for now."
"That sounds ominous." Ryan took the plaque. "By the way, where is Thirty-Seven?"
"She is busy. Why?"
"She has my fucking dog! I would like him back."
Nyx snapped his fingers, and Thirty-Seven walked into the room. "Relinquish the hound, please."
Thirty-Seven looked down at her shadow. A tiny fraction of sadness crossed her face. Then she grabbed a piece of meat from her bag and held it over her shadow.
Fido jumped out.
Thirty-Seven threw the meat onto Ryan's lap. "Hmph."
She turned and walked out.
Nyx laughed loudly. "Seems you made friends with her as well."
"Friends my ass." Ryan watched Thirty-Seven walk out and smiled. He looked down at Fido and shook his head before snapping his fingers. Fido retreated into his shadow.
Shortly after their meeting, Ryan stood in front of the mission board.
"Man, there really isn't anything happening right now. No dungeons, no fancy requests from nobles." Ryan hung his head. "Peace sucks sometimes."
Just then, a few adventurers started making a racket behind him.
"Get out of here, kid."
"Yeah, you think adventurers work for free?"
"Why don't you go beg for more money and then come back? Maybe then we'll help you."
One of the beastkin walked toward a little girl. She had her hand out with a few coins resting in her palm. He slapped the girl's hand, sending the coins scattering across the floor.
"We're a B-rank team. A few gold coins wouldn't even get me out of bed."
The coins rolled to Ryan's feet. He bent down and picked them up, then walked over to the little girl.
The beastkin grabbed Ryan's shoulder. "Who the fuck do you think you are?"
Ryan spun around and let a little of his mana leak out toward the man and his friends. His eyes turned purple.
The men felt it immediately. "I... I am sorry, sir. I didn't mean to disrespect you. But this girl is begging for help without submitting a proper request through the guild."
Ryan stared at the beastkin for a moment. He pulled his arm back, and the man flinched. Ryan laughed. He turned and knelt in front of the little girl, putting the coins back into her hand. "What can I help you with, sweetheart?"
"My father, brother, and other men have gone missing from our village. I scraped up everything I had to come ask for help."
"How much ya got there?"
"Two gold coins."
Ryan grabbed her hand and closed it around the coins. "That's a lot. I'm surprised you scraped together that much. Keep it."
Ryan stood. Behind him, a woman cleared her throat.
"Excuse me, Mr. Kade. We can't accept missions that haven't been formally processed through the guild."
"Okay, and?" Ryan stared at the receptionist.
"You can't accept this mission."
"What mission? I'm not accepting a mission. I'm helping a little girl."
Ryan turned, put his hand on the girl's shoulder, and walked her out of the guild.
As he left, the beastkin looked at his comrades. "Kade? You mean the solo adventurer?"
"Holy shit, boss. We almost died."
"Did you hear what he did to the prince of Aldemere?"
"We dodged one this time, boss."
Behind the counter, Nyx stood with his arms crossed and smiled as he watched Ryan walk out with the little girl in tow.
As Ryan stepped onto the street, he looked down at the girl. "So, where is your village?"
"Past the forests to the west. Near the edge of the world." The little girl sniffled.
"Edge of the world, huh?"
Ryan thought back to the books he'd read as a child. The Edge of the World was a place beyond the Western Continent. Always dark, inhabited by dragons, it was a place no one dared cross into. The boundaries of the modern world ended there, and the decrepit land beyond had been forbidden since the war with the dragons.
"Interesting. I'm surprised you made it all the way here on your own. You must be crazy strong." Ryan patted her head, and the girl giggled.
As they reached the walls of the city and stepped onto the path heading west, Ryan called out Fido. He picked up the little girl and placed her on Fido's back.
"What's your name, by the way?"
"Alice."
"Okay, Alice. You lead the way."
Alice smiled and pointed toward the setting sun.
Ryan hopped onto Fido behind her, snapped his fingers, and pointed. Fido howled once before taking off. Fido carried them through the forest as Alice continued to direct them. Eventually, the trees began to thin until the three of them emerged in front of a wasteland. Ryan hopped off Fido and looked around. For miles, there was nothing. Tree stumps dotted the landscape, and dried, cracked earth stretched beneath their feet. Geysers spat steam through fissures in the ground. Far ahead stood a mountain range that separated the living continent from the forbidden zone beyond.
Ryan slowly looked back at Alice. "Your village... it's not over there, is it?" He pointed toward the mountain range.
Alice nodded.
"Yeah, of course it is." Ryan sighed. "I didn't think humans lived there, though."
"Not a lot do," Alice said.
Fido growled. "Master... I believe we are being manipulated." He spoke into Ryan's mind.
"Yeah, I think so too, but I can't prove anything." Ryan stared toward the mountains. "Just be on your toes as we move forward. I suppose we'll get our answer when we get to wherever this girl is leading us."