Ancient Pasts - Tbate

Their Return

Claire Bladeheart Pov

"Head Bladeheart, you're needed in the meeting room." A messenger announced.

"Alright, I'll head over there now." I nodded, already moving towards the command tent.

"Head Bladeheart, reporting as requested," I announced as I entered the command tent inside this dungeon.

"Hello, Head Bladeheart." Captian Haan started as he gestured for me to take a seat. "We've detected high and unusual mana readings from the boss room. I believe that those mana signatures cleared out the room. I need you to scout ahead while we await back up."

"Is... Is that safe, sir?" I hesitated to ask.

"There are seven mana signatures within the room. None of the mana signatures moved since we detected their presence. You will stay a hundred meters away from the door and alert us if they move." He replied.

"Yes, sir!" I saluted before walking out.

I walked towards where my team set up camp and spotted my two teammates doing their business. Ken Clarell, Nean Alderman, and Canasian Berwick were chatting around the campfire.

Ken Clarell was a bulky man a few years older than me. He was prideful and arrogant but strong and skilled with his axes. Ken is a solid yellow augmenter with extreme control over mana and an earth affinity.

Canasian Berwick is a lanky light yellow wind conjurer that used his attacks to support his teammates, from speeding up our swings to manipulating the wind to negate the impact behind an attack.

Nean Alderman is a petite girl a few years older. She was an experienced adventurer before the war started and was like my bigger sister during our missions in beast glades. She's a light yellow fire augmenter.

"Hey, guys!" I called out, getting their attention.

"Is something wrong, Claire?" Ken tilted his head as I approached.

"The captain asked that we scout ahead until reinforcements arrive," I announced.

"Just the three of us? And why would we need reinforcements?" Nean questioned curiously.

"It's just the three of us. The reason the captain is sending us to scout is that they detected a few high and unusual mana signatures inside of the boss room, and they think it killed the boss." I sighed.

"What?!" Ken and Canasian bolted up from their seats.

"You're saying a few mana signatures wiped out a mutated S-class dungeon boss?!" Ken inquired, his eyes wide in shock.

"Y-Yeah. They want us to stay a hundred meters away from the boss room until reinforcements arrive." I stated, already picking up my necessities.

"T-That's a suicide mission!" Canasian protested.

"You two are free to leave, but I'm going to do this. At this rate, I'll only bring him down..." I whispered the last part.

Canasian Berwick Pov

"By him, do you mean that guy you always mention? Cathan, was it?" Nean chimed, leaning in, eager to hear about the boy Claire depicted as some fantastical hero out of a children's book.

"Claire, when are you going to snap out of that delusion of yours?" Ken grunted.

Claire shook her head. "It's not like that."

Nean stared at Claire, eyes twinkling. "Is he that handsome and charming?"

"He was pretty popular in school, although he probably knew that." Claire giggled.