the beginning after the end perfect duo

Into the Dark

"Hurry up, Lilia, or you'll be left behind!" I shouted, watching carefully for any signs of beasts ahead.

"I'm coming!" Lilia shouted back, hints of fear evident in her voice. She had every right to be so; it was her first raid after all.

It was my first raid too, and I was feeling pretty anxious about it. The cold was settling in quickly, prompting me to cover my body in mana. The others didn't even want to introduce themselves to us, which would have been helpful.

I took a look towards the others. There was an older man, probably in his thirties, with hints of white mixed in with his short-cropped brown hair. He had a trimmed beard and looked serious, not even wanting to talk to the rest of us. He had his reasons for that.

Then there were the two siblings walking side by side. Jaden's eyes darted from shadow to shadow, his jaw clenched in concentration. Every step was deliberate, as if the dungeon walls themselves could spring to life. Beside him, Jane strolled with a lazy smile, humming softly, almost as if they were out for a casual walk in the park. They seemed to be in fight mode now.

There was another girl in the party, a woman in her mid-twenties. She was slender, with short red hair, wearing light leather armor that allowed for speed and stealth. A small fox tattoo on her neck marked her as a dagger user, just like Jasmine. Her footsteps were silent, indicating she would make a great assassin.

Ah, not so quick with those intrusive thoughts.

Leading us was a hulking man, with gray streaks in his dark hair, a thick beard, and a scar running down his left eye. His heavy armor, marked by years of battle, made him nearly impenetrable. He wielded a massive shield and a warhammer. To say he looked tough would be an understatement.

Finally, a woman with long, raven-black hair and pale skin brought up the rear. Her deep violet eyes seemed to see through people. She wore a dark cloak that blended into the shadows and carried a staff adorned with glowing blue crystals.

And that was the whole party I was going with.

Arthur walked beside me, his steps steady but his eyes distant, as if his mind had wandered far from the dark corridor we were in. I glanced over, noticing how his brow was slightly furrowed, lips pressed in a thin line. He wasn't here, not fully. Every now and then, his gaze would drift down to the ground, and though his body moved alongside mine, his thoughts seemed to be miles away, lost in something deeper, something only he could see.

Thinking about the necessary moves to guarantee everyone's safety, especially our family, you could say.

We had Lilia, who could be quite an annoyance if she wasn't careful; I would keep my eyes on her during this raid.

As we delved deeper into the dungeon, the ambient light began to fade until only the flickering light of our torches remained.

"Let's stop right here," the woman with the tattoo said with a shrug, her tone light, not really bothered by what was ahead.

"Didn't have time to introduce myself back there," Mira said with a smirk, hands resting on her hips. "I'm Mira. I'll be your leader today... unless you've got something to say about it?" Her eyebrow arched playfully, daring anyone to challenge her.

"And if you really gotta know, I can use fire, and I use these—" she quickly raised her daggers, barely pausing for breath, "—to stab things or whatever." She grinned, her words tumbling out in a rush. "But hey, relax, you can totally rely on me... probably!" Her tone was weirdly upbeat for someone leading us into danger.

"Great, we've got a sarcastic little comedian here," I thought to myself, raising an eyebrow. I didn't even know her name five minutes ago, and here she was, acting like we'd been best friends for years. This was going to be interesting.

I moved my gaze toward Jasmine and Lilia, trying to get a reaction out of them. Jasmine was blank as usual, while Lilia seemed a bit more relaxed than earlier, and that was good.

"My name is Elden," he said firmly, his gaze steady. "I'm a veteran and a swordsman. That's all you need to know." There was no room for bravado in his tone—just a quiet strength that spoke of years of experience and a commitment to his duty.

"I'm Sylvia," she said quietly. "I use wind magic to create illusions. I'm not that good, but I'll do my best to help."

"I'll be the one to guarantee everyone's safety in this raid," Ragnar declared, his voice deep and steady. "I'm Ragnar. You can see the war hammer in my hand—that's my weapon of choice. It's served me well through many battles, and I'll use it to protect this team." He paused, his gaze firm and reassuring, a silent promise of his commitment to keep us all safe.

"Now, the only ones left are you four. Aren't you going to introduce yourselves?" Mira said, her hands casually behind her head, her tone smooth and relaxed.

"Tone, I'm a quadrielemental mage, with all advanced forms, currently at yellow. Feel free to ask if you need anything," I said, raising an eyebrow, my tone playful despite the tension.

"Note, quadrielemental at yellow core; both Tone and I use swords, by the way," Arthur introduced, his voice a steady anchor, offering a sense of quiet confidence.

"I'm Lilia," she said, her voice trembling slightly with nerves. "I don't have any elemental magic yet, but I'm really looking forward to working with all of you." She glanced around, her eyes wide, the weight of her uncertainty clear as she tried to muster a smile despite her anxiety.

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(Sorry for the picture, it's as close as the ai could get, I don't know much about drawing myself)