Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 54: Storm of Hearts, Part Ten

The dirt road stretched endlessly before them, a ribbon of cream cutting through the landscape as Sylver’s car trudged along.

Lianna sat in the passenger seat, her elbow on the rolled-down window frame, and her gaze fixed on the horizon. She snuck a glance at Enverna and Mel behind her, finding them both staring out the windows as well, lost in thought. Mel did so while also fidgeting with the straps of her backpack, sneaking a glance at Lianna every couple of seconds.

"You can calm down, you know. It’s a normal expedition. Nothing’s going to happen."

Lianna nearly threw her whole head in her palms.

[I might have actually believed that but now that you jinxed it so hard, well...]

The dense forest loomed in the distance, a dark silhouette against the vibrant hues of the setting sun.

Just to check and make sure that it was, in fact, still there, Lianna checked the quest message.

{Prevent the ascension of the Storm Fiend}

[I assumed bringing Mel with me could clear the quest, but... I guess not.]

A mixture of anticipation and trepidation filled the air. All Lianna could do now was hope that, indeed, this would end up being the equivalent of a very convoluted classroom lecture.

"Ma’am," Enverna spoke up from the back, "are you with the Watchful?"

"No. I’m a freelancer."

Lianna’s brows shot up. Players who didn’t belong to a guild were so rare that Lianna hadn’t even considered that to be a possibility. There were just so many different benefits to joining a guild, ranging from actual salaries to having a roof over your head, as was the girls’ cases, to having access to high-level equipment, all depending on what contracts one signed.

The fact that someone would simply reject all of that was stunning.

"Um... If I may ask, how did you get invited for this expedition, then?"

"Because I am damn good at being a freelancer."

[Okay. I can respect that.]

"But," Lianna had a question of her own, "you know Ms. Taylor?"

"I do."

"How?"

Sylver’s voice then took on a measured tone, as if unraveling a Chapter from the past.

"She saved my life," she stated casually. "I had been tagging along with another guild, much like I am now, when... My group stumbled upon a Greater Fiend."

Lianna’s eyes widened, her mind racing at the mere mention of such a formidable adversary.

"Not quite the apocalyptic variety you might study in history class, but a Greater Fiend nonetheless. Our attempt to face it was futile. We retreated, battered and bruised, issuing a desperate call for help. This was in the days before Cynthia ascended to greater heights, of course. To cut a lengthy tale short, she answered that call, and I owe my life to her for that."

The weight of Sylver’s words hung in the air, leaving Lianna in stunned silence. Lianna always had her own story to think about, but hearing about how someone else was also saved by this woman like she had been brought a sense of awe and disbelief.

She pictured the scene, the desperation with which Cynthia rushed to make her way to Sylver’s position, nestled in the middle of a Fiend-infested area.

The problem was, Lianna didn’t have a face to imagine for Ms. Taylor. She’d never seen her, after all.

Still, Lianna’s admiration for Cynthia deepened, a blend of surprise and reverence etched across her features.

[Yeah...] Lianna smiled warmly, looking out the window. [That sounds like her.]

More than anything else, she truly wanted to just meet this woman already. To attach a real face to the image of her Lianna had in her mind.

[I’ll go ask the administrator about her once we’re done with this. Hopefully, she’ll help set up a meeting or something.]

"Anyway, we’ll be at the cave’s entrance soon. Then, we’ll just sit around until the Shields of Saren and the other guilds show up. Take a moment and relax."

The road ahead seemed to stretch even longer as anticipation crackled in the air. Lianna leaned back in her seat, her gaze now shifting between the dense forest and the interactions within the car. Her mind was still buzzing with thoughts of Cynthia Taylor, the quest still lingering in the air, and the impending expedition.

Enverna, sitting opposite her, seemed equally absorbed in her own musings. The rhythmic hum of the car engine became the backdrop to a shared silence, punctuated only by the distant sounds of nature.

Mel, on the other hand, appeared restless. The straps of her backpack were now twisted between her fingers, a telltale sign of her anxious energy.

As Sylver parked near the cave entrance, the atmosphere shifted.

"We’re here."

The car’s engine hummed to a quiet halt, and the trio stepped out onto the dusty ground.

A few other players were already there, but none of them stood up to introduce themselves. Given that Sylver didn’t greet them either, Lianna guessed that just leaving them alone was a fine option to take.

The girls observed as a group of players arrived in a bus and a couple of fancy cars an hour later. They were clad in a mix of armor and robes, of course, each representing different guilds. The air buzzed with a collective sense of purpose as they prepared for the upcoming expedition.

As much as she understood that any of these people could be potential enemies, Lianna couldn’t help but be excited.

[Guess it can’t hurt to check some Statuses.]

Using {Target Analysis}, Lianna casually scanned every player there, one by one.

[Hm. Nothing stands out.] She threw a glance at Mel. [I guess that means no one’s gonna hurt her... Seriously, is that quest permanent or something? Will I always have to worry about something happening to Mel or is there a specific trigger for this ’Storm Fiend’ thing? I just don’t know.]

A tall, imposing figure, adorned in the regal insignia of the Shields of Saren, caught her attention. He approached the trio with a determined stride, his gaze fixed on Lianna.

"Lianna Velcross and Enverna Alteri, right?" He asked, his voice deep and resonant.

Lianna nodded, a slight apprehension settling in.

"Yes, that’s us."

Then, his eyes fell on Mel.

"And you are?"

"M-Mel."

"Right. I’m Kyle, representing the Shields of Saren. We’ve been assigned to lead this expedition. Your role is simple, observe, learn, and stay out of trouble. Having you here is just our way to thank you for showing up to the gala, but we’re also not going to act like actual babysitters, alright?"

Enverna nodded before firmly responding:

"Understood."

"Good. Anyway, we’ve got skilled fighters and experienced members. Feel free to pick some people out and watch them. I’d recommend you keep your eyes on anyone who matches your own class or style, but I’m sure you were planning on that anyway."

Mel, who had been listening attentively, looked slightly disappointed in Lianna’s eyes.

[Hm?]

"But what if something goes wrong?" Enverna voiced the concern that lingering in her mind.

Kyle’s stern expression softened, understanding the worry etched across the girls’ faces.

"We’ve conducted extensive preparations. Our members are equipped for various contingencies. And we won’t take any unnecessary risks. But, should anything go wrong, just follow instructions, alright?"

"Got it."

He gestured toward the cave entrance, where other players were assembling.

"Once again, sit back, observe, and let us handle the expedition. We’ve dealt with challenging quests before, and this will be no different."

"Alright, we’ll trust you," Enverna said, her voice steady.

Lianna nodded, a reluctant acceptance settling in.

[Well... We’re doing this. Hope everything goes well. Wait, shit. Now I’m jinxing it. Fuck.]

Enverna seemed to sense Lianna’s concern and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Mel, although still a bit disappointed, reluctantly nodded her agreement.

"We’ll stay out of the way," the girl said quietly.

Kyle appreciated their compliance. Then, he turned to the others.

"Everyone, let’s go over the plan one more time."

Lianna, Enverna, and Mel stepped back a bit, to let the others who were actually going to participate listen in. The "plan" wasn’t exactly complicated, mainly just the time frames in which they were going to operate. This was a marathon, clearly, not a sprint.

"Now, let’s proceed into the cave. The expedition awaits."

As the group started moving toward the cave, Lianna couldn’t shake a lingering sense of unease. The Shields of Saren exuded confidence, yet the underlying fear persisted. She exchanged a glance with Enverna, a silent acknowledgment of shared concerns.

The cave entrance loomed ahead, darkness enveloping the opening like a yawning mouth. The expedition party entered one by one, disappearing into the unknown depths. Sylver, who stayed back with the girls, led the way now, casting a final glance back at Lianna, Enverna, and Mel through her blindfolded eyes.

"Stay close, and don’t wander off."

"Of course, ma’am."

And thus, the expedition began with Lianna’s heart thumping steadily in her chest, hoping that nothing would go wrong.