They left the lobby behind, stepping out into the late afternoon sun as they made their way toward the training courtyard. The air was starting to cool down, casting long, dramatic shadows across the dirt paths of the village.
As they walked, the heavy silence between them was broken only by the rhythmic thunk of Aster's new sword bumping against his hip. Sylas kept his eyes fixed straight ahead, but his posture was unusually tense.
He glanced over at Aster, his sleepy eyes darkening with a look of genuine concern.
"This team... is a bit unlucky, like I told you," Sylas said, his voice dropping to a serious, quiet tone. "They've been through a lot of darkness lately, and they might not be the most welcoming right now. So just try your best, okay?"
Aster swallowed hard, tightening his grip on the strap of his new bow. "I will. I'll do whatever it takes to fit in and pull my weight."
"Good," Sylas nodded, a faint, encouraging smile returning to his tired face. "Just keep your head down, observe how they fight, and don't let their rough edges get to you. You've got potential, Aster. Don't forget that."
As they rounded the corner of a large stone wall, the loud, familiar sounds of training echoed through the air—the sharp whistling of arrows piercing the wind, the heavy thud of fists hitting leather pads, and the intense, pressurized grunts of warriors pushing their limits.
They had finally arrived at the training courtyard, and Aster's new life was about to truly begin.
Sylas caught the nervous look on Aster's face and let out a soft sigh, his expression softening slightly. He reached out and gave the younger man a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"But don't worry," Sylas added, his voice steady and grounding. "Kael is a strong and good leader. No matter how unlucky they've been, he's the kind of man who looks after his people. He won't let you fall behind, and he won't let you get killed out there."
Hearing that helped steady the fluttering in Aster's chest. A bad run of luck was terrifying, but a good leader meant there was still hope.
"Thanks, Sylas," Aster said, taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders. "That actually makes me feel a bit better."
"Good. Now, let's go," Sylas said, stepping past the stone archway and leading Aster directly into the open courtyard.
The training grounds were bustling with activity. In one corner, several warriors were sparring with heavy wooden greatswords, while in another, a row of archers were letting loose a volley of arrows into straw targets.
Sylas's eyes scanned the crowd, looking past the swirling dust and the sweating fighters, until he finally locked onto a specific group standing near the far edge of the arena.
"There they are," Sylas murmured, gesturing for Aster to follow. "Come on. Let's introduce you to the squad."
Aster followed Sylas toward the far edge of the arena, his heart pounding a little faster with every step. But as they got closer, the tense, gloomy atmosphere Aster had been bracing for completely dissolved.
Instead of a brooding, miserable squad shrouded in grief, he heard a sudden burst of loud, genuine laughter.
Through the swirling dust of the courtyard, Aster saw a group of five people gathered near a weapon rack. One of them, a tall guy with a broad grin, was dramatically reenacting a clumsy move he had just made, causing a girl with her hair tied back to nearly double over laughing. Another member of the group was leaning against a wooden barrier, chuckling softly while wiping down a spear.
They looked incredibly close, like a tight-knit family who knew exactly how to lift each other's spirits, even after facing tragedy.
Aster blinked, glancing over at Sylas in confusion. Are these really the 'unlucky' and 'intense' people he warned me about?
Sylas, however, didn't look surprised. He just watched them for a moment, a flicker of respect passing through his tired eyes. Even in the face of bad luck, a great leader knew how to keep his team from breaking.
"Kael!" Sylas called out, his voice cutting through their laughter as they approached the group.
The laughter subsided into pleasant smiles as all five heads turned toward them, their curious eyes instantly locking onto Aster.
At the sound of Sylas's voice, the tall guy who had been dramatically reenacting his moves stopped and turned around.
He was strikingly handsome, with bright blonde hair that caught the late afternoon sun, sharp blue eyes, and a confident, athletic build that commanded respect without being intimidating. A kind, easygoing smile lingered on his face, instantly making him seem approachable.
"Sylas!" Kael called back, his voice warm and deep. He tossed a wooden practice dagger into a nearby crate and wiped his hands on a towel, walking over to meet them.
The rest of the group quieted down, following Kael's lead with curious but friendly expressions, their eyes naturally drifting down to the new sword and bow slung over Aster's shoulders.
"I didn't expect to see you down at the courtyard today," Kael said, clapping a hand onto Sylas's shoulder in a familiar, respectful greeting. Then, his sharp blue eyes shifted entirely to Aster, his smile widening. "And who do we have here?"
For the first time since Aster had met him, the heavy exhaustion vanished from Sylas's face, and he smiled brightly.
"I got you a new member!" Sylas announced, gesturing proudly toward Aster.
The reaction was instant. Kael's eyes lit up with pure joy, and a massive grin broke across his face.
"No way!" Kael shouted, immediately breaking into a happy cheer.
Behind him, two other members of the squad—the tall guy who had been laughing earlier and a guy leaning against the weapon rack—pushed off the barrier and joined in, pumping their fists into the air.
"Yes! Finally!" one of them yelled, laughing as he clapped his hands together.
"It's been so long since we got a new member!" the other cheered, his eyes beaming with excitement as he looked Aster up and down. "Man, the administration usually ignores our requests for months. This is awesome!"
The sudden explosion of high energy and warmth completely overwhelmed Aster. He stood there, holding his new bow and sword, blinking in utter shock. He had expected somber faces, tears, or at least a cold shoulder because of their recent loss—but instead, he was being welcomed like a winning lottery ticket.
Kael stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and looked down at Aster with absolute delight radiating from his blue eyes.
After the initial excitement settled down, Kael waved everyone over to a quieter patch of grass near the edge of the courtyard. They all sat down together in a big circle directly on the ground, the cool dirt a welcome relief after their intense workout. Sylas stayed standing for a bit, watching with a satisfied nod, before giving Aster a parting wave and heading off to attend to his own duties.
Kael leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and smiled warmly at Aster. "Alright, let's do this properly. Welcome to Squad 4. Since you're joining our little family, it's only fair we introduce ourselves."
He pointed to himself first. "I'm Kael, the leader of this chaotic bunch. I handle frontline defense and strategy."
He then gestured to the girl sitting right next to him. She had a very composed, serene aura, her sharp eyes studying Aster with a quiet intensity. "This is Eva," Kael said. "She's our main vanguard and usually the one keeping us from doing something stupid."
"Nice to meet you, Aster," Eva said, offering a calm, reassuring smile.
"And right next to her is her little brother," Kael chuckled, pointing to the tall guy beside her.
Elio gave Aster a polite, gentle wave. He was definitely the tallest guy on the team, standing a good head above the others with broad, athletic shoulders, but he wasn't a towering giant. Just like his sister, Elio had a very calm, grounded aura around him, offering Aster a quiet, friendly smile. "Hey there. Glad to have you with us."
"Then we have this guy," Kael laughed, nudging the guy sitting to his left.
It was Finn, the happy guy Aster had seen earlier. Finn hadn't stopped smiling since Aster arrived. He had a short, neat haircut and a completely relaxed, carefree attitude. "Welcome to the squad, buddy! If you ever need a laugh, I'm your man," Finn chirped, his eyes crinkling with mischief.
Finally, Kael turned to the last member of the group. She was a girl with a bright, incredibly happy face who looked to be the youngest of them all. "And last but definitely not least, our burst of energy, Junie."
"Hi, Aster!" Junie cheered, her eyes practically sparkling with excitement. "I'm so glad you're here! You're gonna love it with us!"
Aster looked around the circle at the five friendly faces. For a team that had supposedly been cursed with terrible luck, their bonds felt unbreakable, and their warmth instantly made Aster feel right at home.
Kael clapped his hands together, bringing the attention back to him. "Alright, Aster, now it's your turn. Tell us a bit about yourself—and what kind of weapon or magic are we working with?"