Chapter 16 Party Meeting

Kai stepped into the dimly lit inn, the wooden floor creaking beneath his boots. The scent of roasted meat and ale filled the air, but his mind was elsewhere. The conversation with Gerry Lockwood still rang in his ears—his agreement to join the guild and his surprise at having to pay for the hero party’s destruction. It was ridiculous, but there was no getting out of it.

He scanned the room out of habit, eyes adjusting to the low light, before locking on to the table in the far corner. Skye sat upright with her legs crossed and her arms resting on the back of the booth, her golden eyes watching him approach like a quiet sentinel. She gave a small nod, nothing more, but it was enough. She saw him. She always did.

Across from her sat Fara, perched upright and still, almost too still. She was focused, studying everything around her without giving much away. But her eyes—those guarded, brilliant amber eyes—softened just a little when she saw him. There was still uncertainty there, but also trust. Maybe not in the world, but in him.

Kai dropped into the chair with a sigh. “Well, it’s official. I’m level one under the guild, and I need to form a proper team before we can take on any real jobs.”

Fara raised a brow. “Level one? After what you did?”

“Politics,” he muttered. “And paperwork. Apparently flipping Gregory into a wall counts as vandalism.”

Skye smirked. “You’re not wrong.”

He leaned back in the chair, stretching his arms. “But it comes with perks. I make my own team. That was part of the deal.”

Fara tilted her head, clearly intrigued. “And you want me to be part of this?”

He nodded once. “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t mean it.”

Skye leaned forward slightly. “What kind of jobs are we looking at?”

“Basic stuff for now. Escort missions, monster subjugations—until we prove ourselves.” He didn’t mention the demon lord’s return. That was his problem to deal with, and this was still his dream. A new world, his own rules, and two beautiful women by his side.

Fara studied him with an analytical eye. “If we’re going to be a team, we should know each other’s strengths.”

Kai smirked. “I agree. Show me what you can do.”

Skye’s ears twitched, and she stood without a sound. One blink and she was gone, slipping into the shadows like mist. The din of the inn continued undisturbed—no heads turned, no one noticed. Kai stayed still, waiting.

A few moments later, he felt a soft tap on his shoulder. He turned instinctively—no one there. Then, from directly behind him, her breath brushed his ear. “I’m more at home in dungeons.”

He turned and laughed. “Alright, that’s impressive.”

Fara crossed her arms, her tail flicking once behind her. “And me?”

Kai gestured to the wooden training dummy in the corner near the hearth. “Show me how you handle yourself in combat.”

She stood and walked over with calm purpose. Her first strikes were clean, practiced—fluid arcs of motion that spoke to discipline and training. Then, without a word, she raised her hand and extended two fingers. A flicker of ember sparked to life above her palm. It hovered, then pulsed outward into a small swirling flame, which she launched toward the hearth. It curved like a dancer, landed inside the firepit, and reignited the dying coals into a fresh blaze.

The nearby tavernkeep blinked, looked at the fire, then at Fara. “Uh… thanks?”

She returned to the table without fanfare.

Kai nodded, impressed. “Good. You’re in.”

Fara blinked. “Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

She exhaled, a small smile forming. “Alright, then. Let’s see what this team can do.”

Kai leaned back, satisfied. He had his party. Now, he just had to make sure they never learned the truth—about the demon lord, about his reality-bending powers, about the fact that no matter who he faced… he would always win.