Mika stretches in her bed, sliding her head under a pillow and yawning. Bathed in the warmth of a new morning and desperately hiding from it. Laying motionless, until the smell from the Main Hall grabs her attention. Serah and her reside in the Guild, the Northern Wing houses members for a reasonable cost.

She slumps herself out of bed, approaches her dresser and changes out of her nightgown. Then she puts on her usual training attire: a plain tunic, pants, and boots. Something that can be dirtied and stained, ripped and torn.

Sitting down on her bed, brush in hand, she tends to her messy hair. Just as Serah takes her turn to lazily slump out of bed.

"Good morning!" Mika shouts with a grin.

Serah jumps a little, still in a daze.

"Good morning."

Mika glances at Serah as she gets changed, several deep scars line her sister's pale back, soon to avert her gaze away, with a shallow frown.

"Your back is healing nicely." Mika chirps, braiding her hair.

Serah hesitates a little, before resuming her routine. Tying her velvet hair in a loose ponytal, before touching her side. Memories of that night take the form of a phantom pain.

"Hm. That's good."

Turning to a water basin in the corner of their room, she slides her hands into a sliver of clear water, cold from the night's chill. She washes her face, in a gentle yet rushed fashion.

Mika, finishing her braid, jumps to her feet from her bed.

"Ready?"

Serah wipes her face, then nods. Her teeth glint behind a shallow smile, and follows behind her frolicking sibling. Together they walk the quiet corridor into the not-so-quiet Main Hall, where they greet and are greeted by others.

After eating, they venture out to the courtyard to meet Albain. Leaving tracks down the steps in the morning frost, barefoot. Leaving their boots strapped together, and slung over their respective shoulders.

Part of their training to 'strengthen their mind' as their teacher had explained. There could be any number of alternative explanations for exposing two young women to frigid temperatures in not much more than loose shirt and pants, though it's one he insists.

Letting their minds wander about his intent, it's genuine. Albain is a Druid. A path chosen not by him but for him by the unseen and the unknown.

Druidism is a school of magic that relies not on Mana but instead Anima. Energy gathered from nature, and the very earth itself. He chose to concentrate on the path of Enhancements and Enchantments to bolster his already immense strength.

Born in the Summer of the year 141 in the Southwestern port city of Candes, Albert Bain was born to a wealthy family. Through a fateful pairing of world-class Fire Mages, he was slated to become the next Plasma Mage. The highest level a Fire Mage could attain.

At 10 he was tested. His vitals were ideal, Magicka strong, and physically he was far beyond his station. Only, he could not control his mana. Like a dormant volcano that was lost to time. This would eventually form a rift between Albert and his family. One of desperation and frustration.

At the age of 16, he fled. His family, his wealth, his future; he wanted none of it.

The goal was simple: Resolve this dilemma

And so he did. Or so he tried.

One night, sat at the same long, oaken table, in the same dusty Library, with the same troves of Tomes and myriad Grimoires leading to the same destination.

"None of these books are of any use!"

Laying ruin to dozens of rare, and ancient books, he flips the mighty table with the ease seen of a wolf ripping its prey to the ground.

Save for one book, spared from his wrath. 'Anima and Mana'

He stares at the cover, blinded in rage.

----

Year 168

----

It had been 3 hours since their session began. Fleeing from their Master, Serah and Mika had been tasked to simply 'survive' until the end of their session. The sole required skill among Adventurers and Mages is also the most vital.

"No beast nor bandit will fight you on equal footing, if caught with your guard down you'll surely die." Albain repeated throughout the morning.

Sent aloft, snapping branches on her ascent from a monstrous blow. Serah careens back to the solid ground from whence she came.

Battered and blody, she lies unconscious on the ground. Falling branches and leaves dropping around her.

Out of breath equally due to shock as well as fatigue, Mika screams and collapses by her sister, as Albain meanders over to his pupils, reaching into one of his pouches. In his hand: a scroll of his own creation.

"Stand back."

Clearing his throat, he recites from the parchment as leaves float down around them.

"Meniugnas idnum!"

The earth itself shifts, forming druidic glyphs and symbols. Roots and rock alike react to the energy stored in the scroll. Before long, a Runic Circle is formed, and shines. Within moments, Serah's wounds are bound and start to heal; she wakes, coughing.

"I think that's enough for today." Albain says.

A groaning Serah rubs her head.

"What do you mean... we were just getting started..."

"You've been knocked out cold for 6 hours. We just found you, go eat."

Serah's eyes open wide, to Mika who is smiling somberly and shaking her head. Her panic turns to frustration. Snarling as she stands to her feet, shakily.

"Yeah, well, whatever."

The Twins walk off in silence. Mika knows how her sister could get, and as such tried not to say anything. However, she shared her Sister's frustration.

"You ever wonder how I'm never the one that ends up beaten and bloody?" Asking with a hint of sarcasm.

Serah scowls.

"Because you're the fragile one and no one dares hurt you?"

Serah increases her pace as Mika stops dead in her tracks. Several long strides later, she stops, turning around to see her shocked and hurt sister.

"Why would you say that to me?"

"I'm sorry." Serah stammers. "I didn't mean it."

Mika shuffles over to her sister, and takes a deep breath.

"It's ok."

She wipes her face and sniffles, before jabbing Serah in her stomach.

"What I was going to say was how you always have your guard down. Idiot." Mika peeps, unable to hide a wide grin.

Humming a song, she saunters off leaving Serah in a slump,

"Point..."

She pulls herself to her feet-

"Point proven."

-and collapses backwards onto the soft grass, a twig stabs in her back. She pulls it out from her tunic, and giggles.

Returned to the guild and changed into her day clothes, Mika sits in the Main Hall as Serah approaches, fresh from a bath.

"Any idea where Cana and Kain are?"

Mika shakes her head with a spoon in her mouth as she reads a story. Joining around the same time as them, Cana Farrow is a Fire Mage and Kain Farrow is an Ice Mage.

Serah grabs a seat opposite her sister, dragging the chair away from its table before promptly sitting down in a huff.

"I'm bored."

Mika finishes her page, then reaches into a satchel sat below her and retrieves a book. Extending it to her sister, she has to grunt to grab her attention.

Serah looks up, she sees her Sister's shining face and the generous offering.

"I don't want to read, that's boring!"

Mika's bright expression sours, before she gently returns the book to its rightful spot. Taking the spoon out of her mouth, she says:

"So go ask Albain to take us on a request."

"What? Why would I have to ask him?"

Mika raises an eyebrow.

"Because... we're not allowed to? We're not certified?"

Serah folds her arms as she reclines in her chair.

"Well that's stupid."

Mika returns to her book as the duo sit in silence for a few moments.

Serah twists towards the rear of the Hall, seeing her Teacher sitting at the bar in silence. She turns back towards her Sister, then back to him.

"Fine."

Mika lets out a soft "Huh?" but it falls on deaf ears.

Marching confidently across the hall, passed the burning coals of the firepit, passed the empty tables and towards the solitary patron of the bar. Serah sits at the bar, and clears her throat. Avoiding eye contact with Albain.

"Last I checked you're a little young for drink, kid."

Serah rolls her eyes.

"I want to go out on a Quest."

Albain sips on his drink of cheap liquor.

"Oh, do you? You think you're ready?"

Serah turns to Albain, scowling.

"I've been ready for months! I'm not scared of getting hurt."

The loud clack of glass meeting wood rings through the hall. Albain sighs and turns to his pupil, with a stern look in his eyes.

"I gathered that. The problem is there's beasts out there that could cut you in half at a moment's notice."

Serah stands up in indignation, pointing her finger in his face.

"You're just worried I'm going to prove you wrong!"

"And what if you prove me right? What then?" Albain shouts. He downs his drink and leaves the Guild Hall.

The few members inside the hall, including Mika, all have eyes on a stunned Serah.

"What are you all staring at?" she screams, as she runs up to the Job Board and steals a request. She runs back over to Mika and grabs her,

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

They step outside of Elysia, passed the southern gate. Mika, sick of being dragged, wrenches herself from Serah's grasp.

"What's this all about? Why are we heading south?"

Serah reveals the Request.

"This! We're doing this. We'll show that dickhead."

WANTED

Rank C or above

Adventurers are requested to clear out a Dracoling nest.

Local Farmers have requested Obsidian Regalia to assist.

Payment received upon destruction of nest.

Proceed to South Gate, head South-east for 2 Kilometers to Royal Trade Road

Follow east to Holcomb Farmstead. Track Dracolings to lair.

Exterminate as needed. Protect Farmers from harm. Rescue Livestock if possible.

Mika's face goes white. With a rapid pace, she pleads,

"No. We could get kicked out of the Guild! You have to return it."

Scoffing at her sister's worry, Serah replies

"Yeah, right. A cave of Dracolings? Lizardmen? That's easy."

"We don't know the first thing about Dracolings! And we're not even C Rank!"

"Rank C means it's easy. Let's go."

Mika hesitates, before following. She doesn't want to get in trouble, but she knows what will happen if Serah goes alone.

Following the directions, they arrive effortlessly at the entrance to the Farmstead. Following the dirt road inward, they're soon surrounded by cornstalks.

The evening sun dips behind them, as their shadows leading the way.

"Sare, we really should head back. They might not even notice you took the Request."

Serah grabs her sister's hand.

"It's ok. I won't let you get hurt."

"That's not what I'm worried about." Mika mumbles.

As they approach their location, they see the fields go even further beyond what they've seen. They wrap around the farmstead and extend beyond what the eye can see.

In the center lays a perfectly normal house, with a shed to the side. The windows are shut, and the door is closed.

To the right, stands an uncolored barn, retaining the brown from its component materials. The wood is cracked and worn, showing its age. Stocked full of tools for farming, and two stables for horses, or even donkeys. They're empty. The barn door is broken, a hinge lays rusted and snapped, causing it to sag.

To the left, a pen for pigs. It lies destroyed, and the immediate area is covered in blood. Drag marks lead behind the house, and into the surrounding field

"Sare, look." Mika points out the drag marks.

"Think we'll find a butchery behind the house?" Serah asks.

Mika shakes her head.

"The shed, it looks like a butchery."

Barely finishing her sentence, she gasps and runs towards the shed.

Inside the shed sit buckets full of blood. Animal viscera lay everywhere, and inside the doorway is a human foot. Seemingly ripped from its host, the blood trickles out, turning to steam in the cold air.

"Shit. We were too late." Serah chokes.

"Serah, we have to go back and report this. The blood is still warm, they could come back."

Before Serah could reply, a rustling in the stalks interrupts them. Their hearts start to race, as they enter a combat stance. Minutes turn to seconds as the movement ceases.

Mika is on full alert. The beast will pounce at any moment, she has to be ready. Suddenly, a cracking is heard nearby.

"Behind!"

She pushes her sister out of the way, as the lengthy claws of a Dracoling swipe at them. A viscious strike nicks Serah's right leg. A small spray of crimson coats Mika as she lays a brutal kick to its throat.

It staggers, but that is all.

The Dracoling, a bipedal predator, stands above them and its scales harder than most metals. Directing its slitted, yellow eyes to the braided girl, it lunges with a powerful set of jaws. Diving between the legs, Mika avoids the beast's maw and attempts to kick out its legs. It collapses to its knees, as its tail slaps her across her face, causing her to spit blood involuntarily.

Taking advantage of her stunned state, the Lizardman strikes with its tail a few more times. Each strike causes Mika to attempt to shout in pain, as the wind is knocked out of her. Again and again, just as Serah takes her turn.

She flips herself upside-down, landing on her hands as she pushes herself toward her foe. Her inverted leap is for her to collide with her target leg-first, delivering a crushing kick to the beast. Her legs crack under the strain, as it is sent flying into the shed, collapsing it entirely.

Serah hops over to Mika, her legs feeling as they were stabbed with a thousand needles.

"Are you okay?!" she asks in a worried tone.

Mika gives a thumbs up as she collects herself, still dizzy from her thrashing. Her chest rising rapidly as she attempts to catch her breath.

Serah laughs and provides Mika a helping hand, "Who let her guard down this time?"

Mika slaps it away. "You did, dummy. It's getting back up!"

The Dracoling stands up, ripping hooks out of its flesh, snarling. It lets out a ferocious, deafening, roar.

Serah grabs her sister off the ground.

"Fuck this, we're getting out of here!" She screams.

The duo flee down the road, at a full sprint despite their injuries. Not stopping until they return to the South Gate of Elysia. Injured, and exhausted, they take time to gather their breath. They embrace one another before returning to the Guild.

Albain is the first to welcome them back.

"Hey. Have fun?"

He says with a blank expression and stern voice.

They're dragged up to the 2nd floor, in the East wing where the Guildmaster's quarters are. Inside, an ornate mahogany desk sits on an opulant black/gold rug. in front of several panels of glass, forming one giant window. On the North and South sides of the room host a vast array of ancient tomes and guild ledgers.

Donnerfaust sits behind his desk with Albain at his left-hand side. The girls sit in front of them, an oppressive weight fills the room.

"Care to explain?"

With no more than a whisper, his voice echoes throughout the room. Donnerfaust is a giant of a man, and a true master of Lightning Magic. Like cracking lightning, his voice is thunderous. Some call him a walking calamity, just waiting to be unleashed.

Blessed with facial hair that would strike any man with envy, his brown beard covers his chest. It's properly trimmed and maintained. A scar crosses his face, from the top of his brow, across his yellow eyes, to the left of his cheeks. He wears magic plate armor that contains his power, and bears the colors and crest of Obsidian Regalia.

Mika stands silent. Fear grips her heart, and is unsure of what to say. They stand in silence before Serah musters up enough courage to speak.

"I made a mistake and I'm sorry. Albain was right I wasn't... I'm not ready"

Albain raises his eyebrow in doubt.

"Is that so?"

Donnerfaust waves his hand, gesturing Serah to continue.

She explains everything that had happened. What they found at the farm, the encounter with the Lizardman.

"It was too strong. I thought if we were together we could handle anything. I'm sorry."

Albain turns his attention to the Guildmaster, and whispers something in his ear.

"Are you sure, Albert?"

Albain nods.

Thinking for a moment, Donnerfaust considers the advice given.

"You broke not only one of the Guild's few laws, but also a law of the Realm."

The girls look to the floor. Incapable of providing eye contact.

His voice grows louder.

"By right, I should have you both removed from the Guild, if not in chains..."

He lets the reality of their situation sink in. Serah's rash behavior brought them within inches of death, and committed one of the worst crimes an Adventurer or Mage could commit, an unsanctioned Request.

Mages roaming around performing work without a Guild is highly illegal. There's no accountability, no means of punishment; they're the most powerful force in the Realm. Anyone uncertified is deemed unfit for duty, as they are untrained and could throw themselves or others in jeopardy. Something Serah nor Mika had considered.

"...However."

"Huh?" they react in unison.

"As unfortunate as the farmers dying is, it didn't happen under your watch, and I won't just punish you for going to a farmstead and retreating."

Together they look at one another, then to Albain.

"So, in short: Don't do it again. Feel glad you're luckier than those farmers. Go to your room, no supper. That's your punishment."

Mika bows first, then Serah follows suit.

"Thank you. Guild Master. Thank you Master Albain."

"Uh... Yeah. Thanks."

And they both return to their room. Starving, filthy, and relieved. Though, Mika can't help but let her mind wander all night.

'What if we had hurried?'

'What if there was more than one Dracoling?'

'What if.. I didn't go with her?'

She fails to sleep a wink. How close was she to losing everything?