Chapter 49: Introduction

The five figures stood in a loose line near the center of the workshop, close enough to the main workbench to show they had been there for a while, but far enough to keep their distance. They were not dressed like normal workers or apprentices. Even at a glance, it was clear they were different.

They were all around Dory’s age, maybe a year older at most, but the way they carried themselves made them seem far more experienced. Each of them wore some form of armor, not polished or decorative, but used. The kind that had seen real fights.

The one at the front was a tall boy with short black hair, his expression calm but sharp. He wore a mix of leather and metal plates, strapped tightly across his chest and shoulders. The metal wasn’t shiny. It was scratched, worn, and slightly dented in places, like it had taken hits before. A sword hung at his side, simple but well-maintained.

To his left stood a girl with dark brown skin and braided hair pulled back tightly. She wore full leather armor, light and flexible, with reinforced stitching along the arms and legs. A pair of short blades rested at her waist, and her stance was relaxed, but her eyes moved constantly, taking in everything around her.

Next to her was a shorter boy with messy blond hair. He wore heavier armor than the others, a full metal chest plate with thick shoulder guards and arm bracers. It looked slightly oversized for him, but he stood firm in it. A hammer rested against his back, strapped securely, its handle worn from use.

The fourth was a quiet-looking girl with pale skin and long black hair tied into a low tail. She wore layered leather armor with small metal pieces attached at key points. Not enough to slow her down, but enough to protect vital areas. A bow rested against her back, and a quiver of arrows hung at her side.

The last one stood a little behind the others. He had short red hair and a faint scar running across his cheek. His armor was the simplest—mostly leather, with a few metal guards—but his posture was straight, and his gaze was steady. A dagger was strapped to his thigh, and his hands rested loosely at his sides.

None of them smiled.

None of them looked surprised.

They just watched.

Liam shifted slightly. "...They don’t look like workers."

"No," Maya said quietly. "They don’t."

Horg crossed his arms, his gaze steady. "Soldiers."

Sirene stepped forward before anyone else could say more. She moved with calm control, her presence immediately shifting the tension in the room. The five teenagers straightened slightly when they saw her, their attention focusing on her without hesitation.

"So you made it," the tall boy at the front said.

Sirene nodded once. "We did."

She turned slightly, gesturing toward Dory, Horg, and the others. "These are the ones I told you about."

Dory didn’t react, but his eyes stayed on the group.

’...So this is Dayla...’

Sirene then faced the others again. "And these are members of the Dayla organization."

That got a reaction.

Liam blinked. "Wait... those guys?"

Maya frowned slightly. "You mean the same people you mentioned before?"

"Yes," Sirene replied.

The room went quiet for a moment as that settled in.

The tall boy stepped forward slightly. "We were sent here to stop the war."

His voice was calm, direct.

"No titles, no long talk," he added. "Just results."

Dory adjusted his glasses.

"...And you’re teenagers."

The boy didn’t react. "So are you."

Lola let out a small breath. "Fair."

Sirene stepped between the two sides slightly, keeping things balanced. "This isn’t a competition."

The girl with the braided hair spoke next. "Name’s Kara."

She pointed her thumb toward the blond boy. "That’s Brann."

Brann gave a short nod. "Hey."

The quiet girl with the bow spoke softly. "Eris."

The red-haired boy followed. "Cal."

Finally, the tall boy at the front spoke again. "Ronan."

Dory nodded once. "Dory."

He didn’t introduce the others. They handled that themselves.

"Maya."

"Lola."

"Dano."

"Lila."

"Lisa."

"...Liam," he added last.

Horg didn’t say anything.

Ronan looked at him anyway. "...Blacksmith."

"Horg," he replied shortly.

There was another brief pause.

Then Kara crossed her arms. "So these are the ones helping?"

Sirene nodded. "Yes."

Brann looked at the group, then at the tools, then back again. "They don’t look like fighters."

"We’re not," Liam said quickly.

Maya glanced at him. "Speak for yourself."

Dory stepped forward slightly. "We’re here to work."

Ronan’s eyes stayed on him. "Work how?"

Dory didn’t hesitate. "Production. Trade. Strategy."

Cal raised an eyebrow. "Strategy?"

"Yes."

Sirene spoke before the conversation shifted too far. "They’re part of the plan."

Eris finally looked directly at Dory. "The one you mentioned?"

Sirene nodded once. "Yes."

That seemed to settle something for them.

Kara let out a small breath. "Alright then."

Brann shifted the hammer on his back. "As long as we’re all on the same side."

"We are," Sirene said.

Horg finally spoke again. "Side doesn’t matter if the work isn’t done."

Ronan gave a slight nod. "Agreed."

Dory looked at all five of them again.

’...They’re serious...’

Not just in how they talked, but how they stood, how they watched, how they didn’t waste movement or words.

These weren’t normal teenagers.

Sirene stepped back slightly, letting both sides face each other fully now.

"This is everyone," she said. "From here on, we work together."

No one argued. No one refused. But the air in the workshop changed.

It wasn’t just about iron ingots anymore. It wasn’t just about snacks or small deals.

Now there were more people.

More skills.

More pressure.

Dory adjusted his glasses again, his gaze steady.

’...This just got bigger...’

He went to take a sit on a small stool, studying the Dayla members again. They looked competent but only in battle which is something Dory wanted to avoid in this mission but it was almost inevitable.

Still, he wanted the team to be good at something he’s also good at.

He smiled at the members and asked:

"Can someone explain to me what high demand means?"