Chapter 4 - The Magic of Rings

FWOOOSH!

A ball of fire erupted past Aiden’s shoulder. The remaining wolves yelped, fur singed, and bolted back into the treeline. Their howls faded into the distance, swallowed by the forest.

Aiden collapsed backward, clutching his bleeding arm, chest heaving. “Haaah…haaah…that was…way too close.”

Valerie dropped to her knees beside him. “Aiden!” Her hands fluttered over his wound, unsure of what she could do to help. Her eyes brimmed with panic.

“Hold still,” a confident voice cut in.

The girl in the green cloak strode into the clearing, staff spinning in her hand.

She crouched next to Aiden and her smirk softened. “Nasty bite. Let’s fix that before you faint on us.”

She held her palm over his arm. Water shimmered into existence, glowing faintly blue, wrapping around the puncture wounds. Aiden hissed, then blinked as the pain dulled, the throbbing replaced by cool relief.

The girl leaned back, satisfied. “That’ll keep it stable until we can get you to a real healer. Don’t go wrestling wolves again, alright?”

Aiden let out a shaky laugh. “Noted.”

Valerie clutched his uninjured hand. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“No problem.” The girl wiped her hand on her cloak and stood, flashing a grin. “Name’s Chloe. That’s Barrett” she jerked a thumb toward the swordsman, who gave a curt nod, “and Peter.” The crossbowman tipped an invisible hat, smirking.

Aiden sat up carefully, still dazed. “I’m Aiden, and this is Valerie.”

Valerie added a polite nod, still keeping close.

Chloe twirled her staff once more and planted it against the ground. “So, what’s your story? Wolves don’t usually pick on travelers unless something…interesting caught their attention.”

Aiden glanced at Valerie. Her brows furrowed, uncertainty plain in her eyes. He gave her a small squeeze.

“We, uh… just got here.”

Chloe’s brows lifted in surprise. “Just got here?”

He took a deep breath.

We already look suspicious as is, I probably shouldn’t lie to them…Would they believe me if I told them the truth?

“To make a long story short…we’re on a mission from another world,” Aiden admitted, the words felt ridiculous on his tongue. “We woke up in this forest and were trying to figure out how magic works, and then… well, you saw the rest.”

Chloe’s eyes lit up, shining with a pure, infectious excitement. “Otherworlders?! No way! That’s amazing!”

Valerie frowned, her expression one of utter bewilderment. She took another step behind Aiden, as if to half-hide herself. “Amazing? How so?.”

Chloe clasped her hands together, practically vibrating with energy. “Do you know how cool that is? Adventurers showing up from another world? I’ve only heard of that happening in storybooks!”

Valerie muttered, her voice low and defeated, “We didn’t exactly have adventurers in our world…”

Chloe leaned forward, her grin softer now, but no less bright. “Well then why don’t you become your world's first adventurers! We can take you by the guild and get you signed up!”

Aiden felt a spark of something new and exciting light up in his chest. “Wait. Did you just say guild?”

“Yep!” Chloe spun her staff dramatically, pointing it skyward. “The Mage’s Guild! Where heroes are made, legends are born, and you get paid to kick monster butt. You’ll love it.”

Valerie blinked, her bafflement deepening. “Wait… so it’s like… a club?”

Barrett chuckled, his voice deep but warm. “More like a professional association. You sign up, you take jobs, you get compensated. Monster hunting, escorting caravans, retrieving rare herbs. That sort of thing.”

“That’s the gist,” Chloe added, her smile infectious. “We can introduce you to the guild master. He’ll know what to do. Maybe he’ll be able to help you with your mission.”

Valerie stiffened, her hand tightening around Aiden’s good arm. “Are you sure we should follow these strangers into an unknown town? I don’t think…”

Aiden gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Val, it’s fine. This is exactly how every game starts off. We get rescued, they take us to the starting town, and then the real journey begins. This is a good thing.”

Her brows knit together, her lips pressed into a thin line. “You’re seriously treating our new life like one of your video games right now?”

“Uh, yeah. Kinda.” He grinned weakly. “It’s already been following the pattern so far.”

She groaned, a mix of exasperation and resignation, but the tension in her shoulders loosened. She looked at him, then back at the three adventurers. “…I’m only going because you’re with me.”

“That’s my girl.” He kissed her temple quickly before rising to his feet again. His knees wobbled, but the healing from water magic had steadied him.

As Chloe turned to lead the way, her gaze snagged on Valerie’s left hand. She froze mid-step, her eyes widening slightly. “Hold on. Is that… a wedding ring?”

Valerie blinked, lifting her hand slightly. “Uh… yes?”

The three adventurers exchanged startled glances. Barrett’s brows furrowed, and a low whistle escaped Peter’s lips. They looked at each other as if they were sharing some secret information.

Aiden looked from their faces to his own ring, and then back to Valerie. “…What?” he asked, confused.

Chloe forced a quick smile, shaking her head as if to clear it. “Nothing! Totally fine. It’s quite the beautiful ring. Let’s just… get moving, okay?”

“ Thank…you?” Valerie frowned, still unconvinced, but followed anyway.

The walk to town was a blur. The dirt path they had stumbled upon had widened into a cobblestone road, and the thick, shadowy forest gave way to a gentle, rolling countryside. As they got closer, the air changed. The scent of pine and damp earth was replaced by the warm smells of baking bread, sizzling meat, and a faint, sweet aroma that Aiden couldn’t quite place. Lanterns glowed with a steady, smokeless light, their flames dancing in the twilight.

Then the town appeared.

Aiden and Valerie’s jaws dropped in unison.

Chloe glanced at the couple and smiled. “Welcome to Auravale.”

Buildings of stone and timber lined the streets, their windows glowing with warm light. Stalls overflowed with fruits they’d never seen before, with glittering trinkets, and with gleaming weapons. Children darted through the streets, laughing as they chased each other, their faces lit up by the warm glow of the street lanterns. Merchants shouted their wares, their voices a melodic chorus, and faint music floated from a nearby tavern.

Everywhere they turned, people greeted them with friendly nods and cheerful words.

“Welcome, travelers!”

“Good evening!”

“Careful on the cobbles, miss!”

Valerie whispered, almost dazed by the sheer friendliness of it all. “They’re so…nice.”

“Told you,” Aiden said, a wide grin stretching across his face. “It’s just like any other beginner town.”

She rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips.

Chloe’s group led them through the busy streets until they stopped before a towering building near the town square. Its double doors were carved with intricate sigils that glowed faintly in the twilight, a steady, pulsing light that seemed to draw them closer.

The Mage’s Guild Hall.

Inside was even more chaotic than the streets.

A huge hall, filled with the hum of a hundred conversations, stretched before them. At the entrance sat a reception desk, several adventurers in robes discussed which posted request they would take. Deeper inside, long tables were crowded with groups comparing magical tricks—sparks of flame, gusts of wind, plants that danced under droplets of water. Others sat with plates full of food, roaring with laughter or bickering over loot from a recent quest.

Valerie clung to Aiden’s arm, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and intimidation. “This is… a lot.”

Aiden’s grin was so wide it nearly split his face. “This is AWESOME.”

“Wait here,” Chloe chirped, her voice cutting through the noise. “I’ll go speak with the guild master.”

The moment she vanished through a side door, Aiden and Valerie were left to stare at the organized chaos. A young man so focused on juggling three glowing orbs of water nearly bumped into them. He muttered a hasty apology and a nervous laugh before continuing on. Across the room, a man with a thick, gray beard shot sparks into the air to impress a giggling waitress. The sparks danced in the air like a thousand tiny fireflies.

Valerie whispered, her voice low and full of wonder, “This seems so…normal to them. Like magic is just a part of their lives. Like it's nothing to them.”

“Yeah,” Aiden said, his own voice hushed with awe. “This world is incredible.”

Chloe returned a few moments later, waving them over with a triumphant smile. “Guild master’s ready for you. C’mon!”

She ushered them down a quieter hall, the noise of the main hall fading behind them. She stopped at a massive oak door, knocked twice, and then pushed it open.

The office was warm, lined with towering bookshelves and maps of the world that stretched across the walls. A crackling fire roared in a stone fireplace, casting a warm, inviting glow over the entire room. Behind a large, wooden desk sat a broad-shouldered man with a graying beard and scars etched across his jaw. His eyes, however, gleamed with wisdom.

“Welcome,” he rumbled, his voice a deep baritone that seemed to fill the room without being loud. “I am the guild master, Maximus. Chloe has given me some details of your encounter, but she was a bit vague. So I'd like to hear your story for myself.”

He gestured for them to sit.

Aiden and Valerie shared a nervous look before settling into the comfortable chairs. They began to tell their story—how they had died in their world, how they had met The Creator, and how they had been given a mission to help this world.

When they finished, a deep silence settled across the room.

Then Maximus chuckled, a deep, booming sound that made the mugs on his desk rattle. “Fascinating. Truly fascinating. I’ve heard some strange things in my life, but that has to be one of the strangest.”

He leaned forward, his gaze flicking to their hands. On Valerie’s finger gleamed a slender silver band crowned with an oval-cut diamond that caught the firelight with quiet brilliance. Aiden’s ring was the opposite. It was solid, space-grey tungsten, muted yet unyielding. Maximus’s eyes lingered. “Your rings. Chloe mentioned that you two are married. Is that true?”

They nodded in unison.

“Hmmm…and for how long?”

“Well…” Valerie piped up. “...We’ve been married for six years, but we’ve been a couple for twelve. We’re actually high school sweethearts.”

Maximus tilted his head, a look of confusion on his face. “…High school?”

“Uh… long story,” Aiden said quickly, but Maximus had moved on from his explanation. His eyes widened slightly, a look of utter surprise crossing his face. “Twelve years… together?”

Aiden and Valerie glanced at each other, confused. “Is that…unusual here?” Valerie asked.

Maximus leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. “Marriage itself is rare. Very rare. As you may know, our magic is memory-based—fueled by moments of strong emotion. The more powerful the memory, the stronger the magic. However, there is a power that is stronger than our basic level of magic.”

“Heartlink Magic…” The words slipped out of Aiden’s mouth in a whisper.

Maximus sat up in surprise. “Exactly. Heartlink magic is the most powerful form of magic and can only be used by married couples. It is the bond of two souls becoming one.”

Aiden and Valerie sat on the edge of their seats, the only noise being the sound of their breathing.

“Long ago,” Maximus continued. “Those who desired power would rush into marriages to obtain this higher level of magic. But their false bonds twisted the magic causing misfires, backlashes, and pain on the users. It led to countless tragic accidents and it destroyed the idea of marriage.”

His voice lowered, growing solemn. “Over time, society abandoned marriage, deeming it a risky waste of time. Now marriage still exists, but few are willing to risk their relationships in the search of acquiring Heartlink magic.”

Aiden’s chest tightened, excitement building.

This is it, the revelation we’ve been looking for. This must be exactly why The Creator sent us here.

Valerie’s hand trembled in his which made Aiden drop his gaze, a wave of shame washing over him.

That also explains what happened in the clearing. It’s really messed things up.

He squeezed Valerie’s hand and locked eyes with her.

“I really screwed up against the wolves…my anger, my yelling, it disconnected us.”

Valerie looked at him sharply, her face a mixture of hurt and surprise. “Aiden—”

“It’s true. You were scared and I didn’t protect you like I should’ve. That’s on me.” His voice cracked, the confession tearing at his throat. “I’m sorry.”

Her eyes softened. She squeezed his hand tightly, her touch grounding him. “And I froze. I couldn’t help you. That’s on me. I’m sorry too.”

“Val—”

She cut him off with a shake of her head. “You’re not going to carry this alone, I won’t let you. We failed together. And we’ll figure it out together.”

A deep silence fell over the office.

Maximus slammed his fist onto the desk, the sudden, sharp sound making them both jump. His beard split with a grin so wide it seemed to take up his entire face. “Good! That’s what I wanted to see. I’ve seen enough to know you two have the bond Heartlink magic demands. Not perfection. Not false unity. Honesty. Forgiveness.”

His voice rose, filling the office with thunderous energy. “You two may be exactly what this world has been waiting for. This “Creator” has brought you to me and, if you’re willing, I will teach you. You will learn to wield your magic, and perhaps, bring Heartlink magic back from extinction.”

Aiden’s heart raced with renewed hope. He glanced at Valerie, whose lips trembled into a small, teary smile.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Yes,” Aiden echoed, conviction burning in his chest.

Maximus roared with laughter. “Excellent!” He turned toward the door and, with a powerful voice, bellowed. “Chloe! Barrett! Peter!”

There was a loud thud from the other side of the door, followed by a frantic scrambling. The door flew open, and Chloe and her companions stumbled inside like guilty children who had just been caught eavesdropping.

“Y-yes, Guild Master?” Chloe squeaked, standing stiffly at attention.

Maximus’s grin widened, a silent challenge in his eyes. “Prepare the training rooms. We begin at first light!”