I was almost at the exit when I heard noise behind me.

  Many footsteps.

  Too many.

  “Hmm…” I muttered. “Now comes the debrief.”

  Clap.

  Teleport.

  I appeared a little away from the building, in a quiet alley.

  “In theory, I found them,” I said thoughtfully to myself.

  “If they show up tonight — great.

  If not… well, I tried.”

  I headed to the tavern.

  Liara still wasn’t there.

  I ordered food and ate calmly, thinking over the day.

  An hour passed.

  Then another.

  And then the door burst open.

  Liara walked in — happy.

  So happy it looked suspicious.

  She noticed me and immediately sat down beside me.

  “What did you do today?” she asked.

  “Me?” I shrugged. “Looked for epic warriors.”

  “And? Did you find any?” she smiled.

  “Well… seems like it. They might come tonight.”

  She raised an eyebrow.

  “Seriously? How did you even find them?”

  “Eh,” I waved a hand. “Just walking around the city. Stumbled into them by accident.

  Chatted like old friends.”

  She smacked my back.

  “When you lie, your ears turn red.”

  “What?!” I protested. “They do not!”

  “They do,” she said confidently and handed me a mirror.

  I immediately examined myself.

  “No… they’re not… everything looks fine…”

  Liara burst out laughing.

  “Got you.”

  “Oh, so that’s how it is?” I snorted. “Fine. 1:0.”

  She suddenly leaned closer and started scratching my head.

  “Hey…” I muttered. “What are you—”

  Too late.

  I literally melted into the chair.

  “Oh yes…” I exhaled. “That’s a forbidden move…”

  I think I just slid sideways, and she pulled me closer, laid my head on her lap, and continued running her fingers through my hair.

  The world became warm.

  Calm.

  No demons. No kings. No seals.

  I fell asleep.

  I don’t know how much time passed — an hour? Two?

  I heard someone

  Voices.

  “…Is that him?” a male voice said. “The kid?”

  “Yeah,” another replied. “He’s actually just a child.”

  Liara laughed softly.

  “And who are you?” she asked. “The so-called ‘epic warriors’?”

  “No idea what you’re talking about,” the girl muttered. “We just came because Arkgrim said he’d be here tonight.”

  “But apparently we have nothing to discuss with you,” the man added. “Especially with a child.”

  I opened my eyes.

  “Hello, hello,” I said lazily, smiling.

  “Why are you so old?”

  Then I added, squinting:

  “From down here, you look ancient.”

  Liara snorted.

  The man sighed.

  “Damn…” he muttered.

  “It’s hard to threaten a child. You look at his face and realize how absurd all of this is.”

  “Exactly,” I nodded.

  “Let’s just talk, yeah?”

  I propped myself up slightly, still lying on Liara’s lap.

  “You didn’t come for nothing.”

  Silence hung for a second.

  And in that silence

  I understood—

  they came.

  Which means the conversation would be serious.

  Chapter: “A Serious Conversation”

  “Could you please sit up properly?” the man said.

  “This is supposed to be a serious talk.”

  I had to tear myself away from bliss.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  I sighed heavily, straightened up, and sat at the table.

  For about a minute, we just stared at each other.

  Silently.

  Evaluating.

  “So what do you want?” I finally said.

  The girl frowned immediately.

  “What do we want?

  You invited us here to talk.”

  “Oh.” I blinked.

  “Right.”

  I turned to Liara.

  “Liara, your turn. Explain.”

  She shot me one of those looks that meant you’re impossible—

  and began.

  She talked about demons.

  About Dorwood.

  About the strange attack.

  About purpose, plans, possible routes, what they’re trying to learn and what we still don’t understand.

  The man and the girl listened carefully.

  Didn’t interrupt.

  Sometimes asked short, precise questions.

  And I…

  I folded my arms on the table.

  Rested my head on them.

  And looked at them from below.

  Boring.

  Very boring.

  And then—

  A hand landed on my head.

  The girl.

  She started scratching my head — confidently, roughly, nothing like Liara’s careful touch.

  “Yeah…” I muttered.

  “Rough.”

  But…

  still nice.

  “Will you join our warrior ranks?” she asked, continuing.

  “Nope,” I replied lazily.

  Then a second hand landed on my head.

  The man.

  “We’ll scratch your head every day,” he said completely seriously.

  I opened one eye.

  “Oh…” I stretched.

  “That’s… an argument.”

  I thought about it.

  “Maybe… I’ll consider it. Not sure.”

  The girl smirked.

  “So that’s how it works.”

  “It’s simple,” she said. “You just need the right approach.”

  They continued mostly speaking with Liara.

  Discussing routes, possible confrontation points.

  I listened with one ear.

  Slowly.

  Very slowly.

  The voices grew quieter.

  The warmth stronger.

  I closed my eyes.

  And I think…

  …I fell asleep right there at the table.

  Among people I had called extinguished that very morning.

  And who, without even realizing it,

  were beginning to come alive again.

  I felt someone lift me.

  Carefully.

  Not abruptly.

  No rush.

  Warmth.

  The smell of fabric, wood, someone else’s home.

  They laid me on a bed.

  I didn’t want to wake up.

  Let them think I’m asleep, drifted lazily through my mind.

  It’s easier that way.

  Someone sat down nearby.

  A small movement—

  and a hand touched my hair again.

  Slowly.

  Calmly.

  Fingers moved across my head, as if checking that I was still there.

  As if… saying goodbye.

  “Sleep,” someone said quietly.

  I barely exhaled.

  Footsteps.

  Door.

  And silence again.

  I was alone.

  In a room.

  On a bed.

  Not a demon.

  Not a king.

  Just a child who, finally,

  didn’t have to hold the world on his shoulders.

  I didn’t wake immediately — first I just opened my eyes and spent a few seconds trying to understand what was happening.

  The first thing I saw — the floor.

  On the floor, stretched out full length, slept that same man.

  Hand under his head, cloak as a pillow, face calm, like he wasn’t an epic warrior but an ordinary mercenary after a long day.

  Next to him, curled up, slept the girl.

  Hair messy, sword neatly placed at her side.

  Even asleep — alert.

  I slowly looked up.

  …and froze.

  The ceiling.

  On the ceiling.

  There, hooked by her legs over a beam, Liara was sleeping.

  Calmly.

  Confidently.

  Like a bat that simply didn’t care about gravity.

  I blinked.

  Again.

  “…Of course,” I muttered quietly.

  What else did I expect?

  I carefully sat up on the bed, trying not to wake anyone.

  The man muttered in his sleep.

  The girl shifted slightly but didn’t wake.

  Liara didn’t even twitch.

  I looked around the room.

  Epic warriors on the floor.

  Legendary elf on the ceiling.

  Me — in the bed.

  “Yeah…” I whispered.

  “If someone walks in right now, explaining this will be hard.”

  I lay back down, folded my hands behind my head, and stared at the ceiling.

  So this is how it happens, I thought.

  Assembling a squad to fight demons.

  Not grand.

  Not dramatic.

  Just sleeping together in one room.

  I smirked.

  “Good morning… team,” I said quietly.

  And for the first time in a long while,

  I felt genuinely calm.

  About an hour later, everyone started waking up.

  Well… almost everyone.

  Darwood sat up, stretched, cracked his neck.

  Inea yawned, sat up, immediately checking where her sword was.

  And Liara… was still hanging from the ceiling like it was the most natural sleeping position.

  “Alright,” I began, rubbing my eyes. “Let’s get to it.”

  They all looked at me.

  “We have…” I raised a finger, “three epic swordsmen.”

  Darwood snorted.

  “Fine,” he said. “Let’s introduce ourselves properly.

  I’m Darwood.”

  “Inea,” the girl nodded.

  “You’re actually epic warriors?” I narrowed my eyes.

  Darwood shrugged.

  “Well… depends what you call epic.

  Fact is, I’m currently the best in this city.

  And Inea is second.”

  “Depressing,” I sighed. “But fine.”

  Inea smirked.

  “Hey.”

  “Joking,” I waved it off. “Partially.”

  I continued:

  “So, three swordsmen and one mage.”

  I looked at them.

  “And the mage, by the way, is also epic level.”

  They both laughed.

  “What’s so funny?” I protested. “I wiped the floor with you yesterday.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Inea waved a hand. “It’s just funny hearing an eleven-year-old call himself epic.”

  “Jealousy is an ugly trait,” I said seriously.

  Darwood shook his head, smiling.

  “Fine, suppose so. But even then… we’re still short on people.”

  I nodded.

  “Minimum two more. Better three.”

  Liara finally spoke — still from the ceiling:

  “What about your sister?”

  I froze.

  “She…” I hesitated. “She could replace all of us.”

  Darwood raised a brow.

  “Then why isn’t she here?”

  “Because,” I said more quietly, “I thought she had a chance at a normal life.

  The Academy. Studies. Friends.”

  I sighed.

  “And this journey won’t be short.”

  Then I added:

  “Only if there’s no other choice.”

  Inea nodded.

  No sarcasm.

  “There’s another mage,” she said. “An elf. Name’s Elvindor.

  They say he’s strong.”

  “Good,” I said. “We need to meet him.”

  “Where is he?” Darwood asked.

  “Don’t know,” Inea replied. “But his younger brother works in an elven shop.

  We can ask there.”

  I clapped my hands.

  “Then today’s plan is clear.”

  Everyone nodded.

  Liara finally let go of the beam and landed softly on the floor.

  “Let’s go,” she said. “Before you decide to assemble the squad in your sleep again.”

  I smirked.

  “No promises.”

  And we walked out—

  no longer random individuals,

  but a squad just beginning to form.

  We entered the elven shop — packed with people.

  Noise, conversations, the smell of herbs and metal.

  Inea immediately went to look for someone, and I wandered between counters.

  Moon sugar.

  Swords.

  Medicines.

  Scrolls.

  Amulets.

  Ajerilla…

  “HOW MUCH?!” I blurted. “Ten gold for this sword?”

  I narrowed my eyes at the blade.

  “What’s so special about it?”

  Liara approached me.

  “Choosing a sword?” she asked.

  “No,” I said honestly. “Just looking. I don’t need one.”

  She smirked.

  “Sure.

  How arrogant that sounds — ‘I don’t need a sword.’”

  “It’s not arrogance,” I muttered. “It’s experience.”

  About ten minutes later, Inea returned.

  “Elvindor’s in the city,” she said. “Rents a room.

  Meeting’s set for tomorrow at the tavern. If we’re lucky — he’ll come.”

  “Got it,” I nodded. “Then we wait.”

  We left the shop and headed toward the tavern, but Inea suddenly stopped.

  “We should train,” she said. “Pure physical conditioning.”

  Darwood nodded.

  “Agreed.”

  I sighed.

  “Yeah… we should.”

  We went outside the city.

  No magic.

  No weapons.

  Just body against body.

  “Push-ups,” Inea said.

  And they started.

  At an insane pace.

  Darwood.

  Inea.

  Precise. Clean. No pauses.

  I held on.

  One hundred.

  Two hundred.

  Five hundred.

  At nine hundred my arms started shaking.

  “That’s… it…” I exhaled and collapsed.

  And they…

  kept going.

  Liara, by the way, kept up with them.

  One thousand.

  Two.

  Three…

  At three thousand they finally stopped and stood up calmly.

  “What’s wrong, Zenhald? Weak?” Inea smirked.

  “Do more.”

  “Yeah… yeah… in a sec…” I muttered.

  I tried again.

  Two hundred forty.

  I couldn’t get up anymore.

  And then they suddenly took off running while I was still lying there staring at the sky.

  “HEY!” I shouted. “Are you serious?!”

  I had to run.

  They flew forward like predators.

  I lagged behind.

  Yeah… if I used even a drop of mana I’d outrun them, I thought.

  But I’m training.

  Run.

  Long.

  Very long.

  By the time I caught up, it was already evening.

  They were standing and waiting.

  Inea crossed her arms.

  “Yeah… kid, you’re way behind.”

  I stayed silent.

  Darwood spoke more calmly:

  “For your age — very good.”

  I lifted my head.

  “Thanks.”

  “And now back,” he added. “Running.”

  “What do you mean back?!”

  By the time the moon was up, I finally crawled into the tavern.

  They were already eating.

  I collapsed onto the bench.

  “We thought,” Liara said, “you passed out somewhere on the way.”

  A plate was placed in front of me.

  I attacked the food like a beast.

  And then—

  Poke.

  Inea’s finger pressed into my ribs.

  I twitched.

  “What are you thinking about?” she asked.

  “Food,” I answered honestly.

  She poked again.

  “Think about defense.”

  I sighed, still chewing.

  “Fine…” I muttered.

  “But first — food.”

  She smirked.

  And this…

  was going to be harder than any battle.