Darkness or light...?

4.

The morning after the exhausting brawl, I struggled to peel myself from the bed. Despite feeling drained, the anticipation of our first quest spurred me on. Making my way to the bathroom, I caught a glimpse of my worn-out reflection in the mirror—a stark reminder of the previous night's chaos.

Under the soothing rush of the shower, I hoped to find relief for my aching muscles. Yet, my mind buzzed with thoughts of the skirmish, particularly my impulsive decision to save Rex. It left me questioning my actions.

Sitting beneath the warm stream of water, I couldn't shake the feeling of unfairness. Why hadn't I been granted the same beauty as others? With a sigh, I left the comfort of the shower, readying myself for the day despite the fatigue and uncertainty. In this world of trials, weakness wasn't an option. The quest awaited...

I quickly dressed myself in a black top and a flowing skirt, adding a loose overcoat for extra warmth, anticipating the chill of the day. Securing a white dagger at my side, hidden beneath the layers of my skirt, I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. The contrast of the black attire against my complexion pleased me, and I felt a sense of satisfaction with my chosen outfit

Walking across the academy grounds, I spotted Mr. Wormwood, our history teacher, standing by the entrance. There was something about the way he glanced in my direction that hinted at a slight disdain, although I couldn't quite figure out why.

Joining the line of students waiting to receive their assignments, I noticed two figures standing ahead of me. They seemed oddly familiar, but I couldn't quite place where I'd seen them before.

When it was finally my turn, I stepped up and introduced myself to Mr. Wormwood. With a curt nod, he handed me a piece of paper detailing my task for the week. As I glanced down at it, I discovered that I had been assigned to research the history of elves and present my findings at the end of the week, along with two other teammates.

My eyes scanned the paper until they landed on the names written at the bottom: Calix and Wish. Determined to find them, I scanned the crowd until I spotted Wish making her way towards me, with Calix by her side.

"Heyy" Her voice rang out with enthusiasm as she approached, her eyes bright with excitement. "Hi, I'm sure you know me, but I'm Wish, one of your assigned partners for the assignment this week."

"Hi, I'm Calix," he responded with a calm demeanor, offering a friendly wave and a slight smile.

"Zaria," I replied with a nod, appreciating Wish's vibrant energy as she didn't feel the need to introduce herself as the princess.

"So, I think we should visit the elves' villages for our project," Calix suggested, his tone measured and composed. "It would make history so much more fun than it sounds."

"I agree! It would be so fun!" Wish chimed in with boundless enthusiasm, her excitement contagious.

"We would need entry passes," I pointed out, focusing my gaze on Calix.

"No worries, I don't have much to do after leaving from here, so I'll get the passes after showing them this paper," he assured us, holding up the paper with our assigned task written on it.

I nodded in agreement, while Wish expressed her excitement and hopes of becoming great friends with us both.

"Alright then, let's meet at the start of the forest by afternoon?" I suggested, a slight smile playing on my lips this time.

They both nodded in agreement before leaving to pack their things. As for me, I left to go home and pack as well; after all, we would probably be staying there for 3-4 days.

As I walked home, lost in my thoughts, I suddenly bumped into a familiar red-headed figure. He muttered a short greeting before his gaze met mine, and a warm smile spread across his face. "I see you're Zaria, right?" he said, and I nodded in confirmation.

As three more figures approached us, my eyes locked with a pair of green ones—Rex. He stopped speaking abruptly and simply stared back at me, his expression unreadable.

Meanwhile, the red head, Rufus, seemed oblivious to the tension. "So, I got to know my dear friend Calix in your group this week," he said with a curious look in his eyes. I shifted my attention back to him and nodded. "That he is."

Rufus continued, "And he also told me that you guys will be heading up to the elves' territory." "Yes, we have to research the history of them," I confirmed.

Nodding, Rufus went on, "Me and these three right here have the task to collect some special herbs found in their villages," gesturing to the others beside him. "So, how about we all go together? Is that okay with you?" he asked, his tone friendly and inviting.

Arriving home, I pondered Rufus's proposal with a detached air. Despite the potential benefits of traveling alongside him and his companions, my expression remained impassive as I considered the implications. As I made preparations for the journey, my mind churned with logistical details rather than any sense of excitement or apprehension.

Once everything was in order, I set out towards the forest's entrance where Wish awaited. Her presence brought a fleeting sense of familiarity, though I maintained my composed demeanor as we exchanged greetings.

"Wish," I acknowledged her with a nod, my tone neutral. Together, we waited in silence for the others to arrive, the atmosphere around us tinged with an unspoken tension. As the minutes passed i wondered where we would camp for the night...