Ashes of Forever

The next few days felt like a blur. The Academy was filled with preparations for the upcoming expedition, and I was swept along with the current, my mind still caught in a fog. Emilia's presence lingered in my thoughts, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The way she spoke to me, the weight of her gaze—everything about her felt wrong, like a fragment of a dream I couldn't quite grasp.

I tried to push her out of my mind. I had more important things to focus on, after all. The expedition was coming, and I couldn't afford to be distracted. I had already been through enough.

The Hero's Party was gathering in the central hall for a briefing, and I was supposed to join them. As much as I wanted to avoid it, there was no escaping my duty. I had a role to play.

Walking into the grand hall, I could already feel the tension in the air. The group was made up of seasoned adventurers—warriors, mages, and priests, all of them eager for the journey ahead. They were speaking in hushed tones, preparing themselves mentally and physically for what lay ahead.

Lucius was at the front, his commanding presence cutting through the chatter. When he saw me, he gave a small nod of acknowledgment. His expression was unreadable, but I knew he expected a lot from me. Everyone did.

But it wasn't Lucius who caught my attention first.

As I entered, I immediately recognized her. Diana. She stood at the front with the rest of the party, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulders. Her posture was regal, commanding, and her piercing gaze met mine, as if she had been waiting for me. There was something about her that felt strangely familiar, though I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

The way she looked at me—it was different from everyone else. Her eyes seemed to linger a bit longer, searching, as if she was trying to understand me in a way no one else could.

"Rein," Lucius called, his voice clear and steady, drawing me out of my thoughts. "Join us."

I walked to the front, my heart pounding in my chest. The Hero's Party didn't look particularly thrilled to see me. I was an outsider to them, a researcher, not a warrior or a mage. I wasn't even sure why I was here, to be honest.

Lucius cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "This mission is critical," he said. "We are heading into the Forbidden Forest. Our goal is to uncover its secrets and find the location of the Demon Lord's Gate. Rein will be accompanying us as a researcher. He's spent years studying the forest and its lore. His knowledge will be invaluable."

The adventurers exchanged glances, some of them skeptical, others indifferent. A warrior with a thick beard spoke up, his voice gruff. "What's a researcher going to do in a place like that? We need fighters, not scholars."

Lucius held up a hand, silencing the murmurs. "Rein's expertise is unique. His ability to understand the magic of the forest will aid us in ways you can't yet comprehend."

I wasn't sure if Lucius was trying to sell me as a valuable asset or if he was trying to convince himself. Either way, it didn't matter. I wasn't a fighter. I had never been a fighter. I had lived too long as a pawn in someone else's game to ever consider myself a true adventurer. But there I was, about to enter the very forest I had read so much about.

As the briefing concluded, I caught Diana's gaze once more. She didn't look at me with hostility, but there was something in her eyes—an unspoken curiosity. She was the hero, after all. She wasn't just anyone. And something about her presence stirred something in me, though I couldn't yet figure out what it was.

The meeting broke up, and I tried to slip away, but then, I heard the familiar footsteps behind me. Before I could turn, her voice—strong, but with a touch of concern—reached my ears.

"Rein," she said, and I froze.

There she was, standing in the corridor, her dark eyes locking onto mine. I could feel the intensity in her gaze as she stepped closer, her voice steady. "You look lost, as if you don't belong here."

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words caught in my throat. "I—" I didn't know what to say. "I'm still trying to figure this out."

She didn't seem to mind my hesitation. Instead, her lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "You'll figure it out. I'm sure you will."

Her tone was calm, but there was a quiet intensity to her words that made me wonder if there was more to her than she was letting on.

Before I could ask her anything, she added, "Just be careful out there, Rein. The forest is not a place for the faint of heart."

With that, she turned and walked away, her footsteps echoing in the corridor.

I stood there, her words lingering in the air like a puzzle I couldn't quite solve. For a brief moment, I felt like I was being pulled into something far deeper than I had prepared for.