Morning arrived without ceremony.
Arin woke to the sound of leather straps tightening. Victor was already up, standing near the wall, checking his armor piece by piece. He didn't rush. Pulled, adjusted, checked the buckle, then checked it again. Same routine as always.
Raul was still half-asleep, one arm flung over his face, boots already on. Packing had been done the night before. Nothing lay scattered. Nothing forgotten.
Arin sat up, stretched, and reached for his sword. Midnight Howl rested where he'd placed it, close enough that his fingers brushed the hilt without looking. Even now, the weight of it felt right.
A knock came at the door.
Victor looked up. "That's early."
Arin stood. "I'll get it."
Rasir stood outside, hands folded behind his back, his expression calm but thoughtful. He looked like a man who'd already made a decision and was just deciding how to say it.
"Morning, Sir Rasir," Arin said.
"Morning, boy." Rasir nodded once, then hesitated. "Actually… Mina mentioned something last night. Said she wanted to speak with you. I didn't want to disturb you so late, but I think you should visit her."
Arin blinked. "She did?"
Rasir studied him for a moment, then glanced past him into the hut. "You boys heading out somewhere?"
"Yes, sir," Arin answered honestly. "Monster hunting for practice. We'll be gone a few days."
Rasir nodded slowly. "Then go talk to her first. And come back safe. All of you."
"We will," Arin said.
Rasir stepped aside, already turning away. "I'll see you when you return."
The three of them exchanged a look once the old man was gone.
"Well," Raul said, stretching his arms over his head, "guess we're making a stop."
Mina's place looked the same as it always had, quiet, tucked away, a little too distant from the rest of the village. When Arin knocked, there was no hesitation this time. The door opened almost immediately.
"Good morning, Arin," Mina said. Her voice was steady. Clear. "We can talk now." Her gaze shifted past him. "Victor, Raul, please come in too."
Raul raised a brow. "Oh? Front-row seats?"
Victor elbowed him lightly, already stepping inside.
Mina poured tea for all of them without being asked. They talked for a few minutes about nothing important, the weather, the forge, the food, normal things.
Then she set her cup down.
"Arin," she said. "I've thought about this carefully. I'm sorry if it took longer than you expected."
"No," Arin replied immediately. "Take as much time as you need."
She nodded, then met his eyes. "I've decided I want to come with you."
The words landed softly, but they didn't drift. They stayed.
"This village…" Mina continued, choosing each sentence slowly. "They don't want me near them. And honestly, I understand why. They're simple people. You've seen that. They're not cruel. They're just afraid of what they don't understand."
Arin didn't interrupt.
"I don't want to stay here forever," she said. "I want to see the world. I want to know what I am instead of just being what people whisper about."
Victor shifted slightly but stayed quiet. Raul stopped smirking.
Arin spoke after a moment. "What about Sir Rasir?"
"I'll convince him," Mina said. No hesitation. "Don't worry."
That confidence surprised him more than the decision itself.
"…Alright," Arin said. "That helps."
Victor and Raul exchanged glances, still silent.
Mina looked between them. "So. What do I need to do to become your subordinate?"
Raul blinked. Victor almost choked on his tea.
Arin frowned. "You want to do it now? Wouldn't it be better to talk to Sir Rasir first?"
Mina shook her head. "If I do it now, he'll have fewer reasons to say no later."
Raul let out a low whistle. "That's… sly."
She smiled at him. Just slightly.
Victor leaned back, munching on dried fruit like he was watching a play. "She's got a point."
Arin exhaled. "…Alright. Then we do it properly."
He stood and raised his hand.
The air shifted.
A faint arc of light formed across his palm, shaped like a broken crown. It wasn't bright. It wasn't violent. It felt settled, like something ancient recognizing its place. The space between them seemed to hold still.
"Do you acknowledge me as your Lord?" Arin asked.
His voice didn't rise. It didn't need to.
Mina met his gaze. There was no fear in her eyes. Only resolve.
"Yes," she said. "I do."
A thin red thread emerged from Arin's palm, stretching across the space between them. It didn't pierce. It flowed, slipping into Mina's chest as naturally as breath.
The world clicked into place. And a Royal Red panel appeared before him.
___________________________
Subordinate: Mina
Core Talent: Necromancy
Rank: Soldier (0%)
Talent Skills: Raise Undead, Undead Contract (0/5)
Regular Skills: None
Upgrade: Locked (Unlock with 100 Lord Coins)
___________________________
Arin's vision shifted again as he opened his own panel, too.
___________________________
Name: Arin
Core Talent: Lord
Rank: Soldier (30%)
Core Skills: Lord's Eyes, Lord's Imprint
Regular Skills: Basic Swordsmanship, Timed Step, Anchor of Identity
----------
Subordinates (3/3):
Raul Slade — Soldier (72%)
Victor — Soldier (79%)
Mina — Soldier (0%)
Lord Coins: 0
___________________________
Arin looked at the screen again, then at Mina.
"So… you've never actually used your talent? Not even once?"
She shook her head. "No. It feels ominous. And I'm pretty sure it needs dead bodies to work. So I couldn't."
Raul and Victor both froze.
"…Dead bodies?" Raul said slowly. "What kind of talent even—"
"Necromancy," Mina replied.
Victor stared at her for a second, then let out a breath. "Wow. That's… pretty dark."
Arin tilted his head, thinking. "I don't know. I think it's pretty cool."
All three of them looked at him, confused.
"Think about it," Arin continued. "Undead fighting alongside us. Not only the numerical advantage, but also the strategic advantage. That's actually really strong."
Raul's eyes lit up immediately. "Yeah, that's busted."
Victor nodded. "Yeah… that's definitely not a weak talent."
Raul glanced at Mina. "So, should we take you with us for practice then?"
"No," Arin said immediately. "She got zero fighting experience. That'd be stupid. We'll come back, then train her properly."
Mina didn't argue. She just nodded. "That's fine."
After that, the tension eased a bit. They talked more, nothing formal. Just introductions done properly this time. What their Core Talents are, what they were good at, what they sucked at. How they'd almost died more times than they liked admitting.
Just people getting used to each other.
When it was time to leave, Mina walked them to the door.
"Be careful," she said.
Arin nodded. "We will."
Then the three of them headed out, packs on their backs, weapons ready, toward the desert again.