The morning mist was still thin when I opened my eyes.
The small village where I lived was still quiet, only the sound of roosters crowing and the wind whispering through the leaves.
In front of the door, Lyona waited while knocking lightly. The sword at her waist, and her eyes focused on me intensely.
"Are you ready?" she asked, her tone flat but firm.
"I… I'm ready," I answered, trying to sound convincing. The flux in my hand pulsed faintly, giving off a strange warmth that was both tense and unsettling.
"Pack quickly and come out," she said. There was no time to delay—our journey today was the first step toward the City of Verlyn, the destination of the adventurer guild, as well as my first real challenge.
I took a deep breath and began arranging my bag. Provisions, clothes, and some survival tools should be enough for a few days. Lyona checked her sword and survival gear, her sharp eyes scanning every detail.
"The journey from here might take a week," she said, looking at me seriously. "You must be ready physically and mentally."
I nodded, holding back the rising beat of my heart. "Ready. Let's go."
---
Stepping into the Outskirts Forest
The first step felt heavy. The village path was still wet from the night's mist, moist soil sticking to my shoes. In the distance, the outskirts forest welcomed us with long shadows and shifting branches moving with the wind. The flux in my hand pulsed more strongly as we entered the trees—the forest felt alive, as if testing our every move.
I paid attention to every movement of birds, every sound of cracking branches. The flux in my body trembled faintly when I heard the sound of dry leaves crack near the bushes. Lyona turned, pressing her index finger to her lips.
"Calm. Don't panic. That could just be an animal… or another mist stray."
I swallowed and tried to calm myself. A pale blue light appeared in my palm, small and trembling, but still stable. This was my first training outside the village—not just to survive, but to begin understanding my own body, how my flux reacted to the tension of the environment.
"Good," Lyona said. "Remember, control is more important than strength. In the city later, you can't rely only on bursts of energy. You must be able to adjust to others."
I stared at the blue light. This was the first time I felt that flux wasn't just power, but part of myself—a tool for survival and to help others.
---
Midday Journey
The day grew hotter as we continued walking. The winding path sometimes crossed a small river or passed a low cliff we had to climb slowly. I felt my muscles tense, but the flux in my hand kept pulsing. The sound of flowing water and rustling trees blended together, giving a natural rhythm to our steps.
In the middle of the forest, a small fox emerged from the bushes, staring at us with bright eyes. My instincts reacted—my flux trembled, and blue light danced faintly in my palm. Lyona tapped my shoulder.
"You're starting to read the environment. That's important. The city is full of people, and threats are harder to detect than this fox."
I smiled faintly, relieved, but aware of one thing: the city ahead would be far more challenging. Wild creatures were nothing compared to the suspicious gazes of villagers or the mist branches that could appear anywhere.
---
Flux Training Along the Way
We stopped for a moment in a small clearing beside the river. Lyona looked at me seriously.
"Now, flux training. I want you to light the glow, maintain its stability, and direct it to a target. Not to attack, but to learn control."
I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and felt the energy pulsing inside my body. Slowly, the blue light appeared again, larger and more stable than before, dancing in my palm. I directed the light toward a small tree trunk in front of me, and the ball of light bounced softly before fading.
"Good. You're beginning to understand yourself," Lyona said. "Your flux responds to your emotional state. Don't let fear or anxiety interfere."
I smiled, feeling relieved. This was the first time I practiced flux control in real conditions outside the village, and I succeeded.
---
Ending the First Day
The sun began leaning west when we set up our tent beside the river. The water was cold and clear, the evening mist starting to fall, covering the trees and the path. I sat staring at my hand, still trembling faintly from the flux.
Lyona sat beside me, her eyes looking far toward the city that was still several days' journey from here.
"In the city, you must learn to adapt. Don't let tension or fear disrupt your control," she said.
I took a long breath, gazing at the river flow. The journey had only just begun, and I knew this wasn't just a physical test. The Sunset City, the adventurer guild, and the mist branches waiting ahead would demand more than just strength.
But for the first time, I felt ready.