Assigned Mission

As the first light of dawn broke over the horizon, Sergeant Raiden called Shen and his teammates to his meeting room. When they walked into the room, they were met by Raiden's always commanding presence, but his stern demeanor had changed. There was a big, detailed map of the kingdom in the middle of the table. It showed forests, borders, and settlements very clearly.

Raiden didn't waste any time. The way he spoke made it clear that he needed to be heard. He said firmly, "You're all here because we're giving out important missions today." "These tasks are very important for the kingdom's stability, and they will test your skills. How well you do will determine if you really deserve to be a commander.

He bent over the map and drew a line with his finger to the western forests of Maveron. He said in a calm but cautious voice, "Toren and Kael, you're going to the western forests of Maveron." Your job is to find and save people who have been taken by cannibals. You have easy tasks: find the people who are missing and kill any cannibals you come across. If you don't value them enough, you will be their next meal. They are a strong foe.

Toren's eyes lit up at the challenge, and he and Kael both smiled. "I was made for this kind of work," he said with confidence. Kael nodded a little, as always. He said in a calm voice, "We're ready, Sergeant."

Then Raiden looked at Fenix and Kelly. "You'll go to the northern borders of Unitas, which is near the Republic's territory that we both share, Kelly and Fenix. You need to watch what the enemy is doing and make our defenses stronger. "Don't let your guard down; the kingdom's safety depends on border security."

Fenix nodded firmly, putting his pride aside for once. He smiled at Kelly and said, "We'll do whatever it takes to protect the border." Kelly held on to her bow and smiled. "Sounds like we're going to have a good time."

Finally, Raiden looked at Shen and Zara. He spoke to them in a harsher tone. "You're going south to the Bono border, Shen and Zara." This is one of the most unstable areas in the Republic, and it marks the borders.

The room became very tense and quiet. Shen could tell that there was tension in the air, but he couldn't fully understand what it meant. He saw the small change in Zara's face. She used to be calm, but now she looked a little uncomfortable.

Zara knew all the Bono border legends, but Shen did not. A lot of men had died there, and no one knew what had happened to them. Horrible stories of deadly fights and strange things that happened were told.

Zara's opinion changed when she looked at him. She didn't know what was going on, but the look of determination on Shen's face shocked her. It was the determination of someone who was ready to face it head-on, not the confidence of someone who knew what was coming. Zara thought it was strange that Shen, even though he was new to the job, was more afraid of letting down the people who depended on him than he was of the unknown.

Zara chose to speak. In a steady but oddly quiet voice, she said, "You might not know all the answers, Shen." "But there are times when not knowing is a good thing."

Shen tilted his head a little as he thought. "How so?"

Zara said, "You're open to possibilities when you don't know what's coming next." "You're not stuck in a rut or afraid of making the same mistakes again. That kind of openness can be a strength if you let it guide you instead of holding you back.

Shen said, "I never thought of it that way." "I guess I've been so worried about making a mistake that I didn't see the point in just moving on."

Zara smiled at him in a way that showed she understood and wanted to help. "Don't be afraid to trust your gut.

Zara took a deep breath and pushed her worries to the back of her mind. Shen turned to Raiden with purpose, sensing her discomfort. He said firmly, "We'll finish this mission, Sergeant." His tone hid the doubt that was boiling beneath the surface.

Raiden nodded quickly but firmly. "Okay. Remember that finishing the job is not the only way to do well. The goal is to stay alive and come back with your team.

As she and Shen stepped outside, Zara's voice broke the silence. She asked, "We can handle this, right?"

Shen looked her in the eye and nodded with confidence. His answer was, "We'll do our best."

It had been hard to lead his team, but the thought of protecting a whole area made him even more scared. He was thinking quickly: What if I fail? What will happen if I make a mistake? How can I be in charge of so many people's lives when I'm still trying to figure out who I am?