The morning sun was merciless in Gazi, beating down on the cracked stones of the town square. Even early in the day, the air was thick and dry, with heat clinging to every surface.
Azel stood before the mission board outside the local adventurers' guild, arms crossed, brows furrowed. Dozens of papers fluttered lazily in the breeze, each pinned tightly to the board with faded ink and dull promises of coin.
"Lost goats, missing tools, injured lizard-dogs… who puts this crap up?"
Azel said to himself.
He glanced to the side, ignoring the glares from a group of jealous men near the board. Their eyes darted between Azel and the beauty who had just joined him.
Anna leaned close to peek at the missions, a soft smile on her lips.
"You've been staring at that board like it wronged you."
Azel shrugged.
"These jobs are boring. We're not bounty hunters for lost chickens. Maybe it's time we move on from this place. Gazi's heat is killing me."
She shook her head slowly.
"Now's not the time to move. Besides, we're low on funds. We need money, remember?"
Without waiting, she tore a slip from the middle of the board and held it up.
"Here."
'Investigate Inner Zerestia Forest and exterminate wild boars.'
"It's better than nothing."
Azel glanced at the mission.
"Boars? Sounds more like village work than ours."
"It's marked moderate difficulty. Enough to stretch your legs, at least."
He sighed, but his eyes held interest.
"Alright. Let's go earn breakfast."
They set off through the bustling desert town. Though the heat was oppressive, Gazi was alive with movement. Merchants shouted from shaded stalls, and children darted through the alleyways laughing. The scent of spices and roasted meat lingered in the air. Despite its harsh climate, the city had a certain rhythm that made it bearable.
Azel found his eyes drifting around the crowd. Beastkin walked alongside dwarves and elves, their differences unnoticed in the melting pot of the city. In Gazi, unlike in most other parts of the continent, other races weren't persecuted—except, of course, demons and Cursewrights. That never changed.
"Why are you looking around like that?"
Anna asked beside him.
"I'm just… surprised. The people here get along well, don't they?"
Anna gave a small chuckle.
"You look cute when you're curious."
Azel rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, pretending not to hear, but his ears turned a little red. She didn't press further.
After a few hours of travel on foot, they reached the outskirts of Zerestia Forest. A village stood nearby, its homes simple and lined with clay bricks to keep out the heat. The locals greeted them nervously.
An elderly man walked up, leaning on a cane.
"You're the ones from the guild?"
Anna nodded.
"We're here to deal with the boars."
The man's hands trembled slightly.
"They're not normal anymore. Not just boars either. Giant beetles, wild monkeys... they've been wandering close to the village. My granddaughter saw a tusked boar sniffing near her window last night."
"We'll take care of it."
The path into the forest was shaded, a stark contrast from the sun-drenched desert. The deeper they went, the denser the canopy grew. Vines curled from branches, and the smell of earth and damp moss replaced sand and heat. Anna hummed softly as they walked, while Azel kept his senses sharp.
The first beasts were easy to spot. Two boars with cracked tusks snorted in the underbrush, confused and aggressive. Anna flicked her wrist, and both animals froze mid-step, held still by invisible force. Azel walked forward and incinerated them with cursed fire. They continued, casually chatting between battles.
"Still think this was boring?"
"I take it back. At least it's something different."
Then, something changed. They reached a clearing deeper in the woods, where voices echoed faintly. Azel raised a hand, signaling for silence. Through the trees, they saw a camp—ropes, tents, and wagons. And chained to those wagons… were elves.
Most were female, a few men among them, their expressions blank or fearful. Some were injured. Shackled and treated like goods.
Anna's breath caught.
"No way... this is elf trafficking."
"Looks like it. They're using beast attacks as a cover. Drive monsters out, make room for trade routes... and move cargo through here."
"You think the cathedral is behind this?"
"Wouldn't surprise me. Elves are valuable on the black market, especially if they're young or skilled in mana."
"We can't ignore this, Azel."
He stared at the slavers moving around the camp.
"I know. But we have to be careful. If they're tied to the cathedral, it's bigger than just a few thugs."
Anna looked at him with concern.
"What should we do?"
Azel narrowed his eyes.
"We watch for now. See who's running it. Then we decide."
The two of them crouched behind a fallen tree, watching the slavers count crates and bark orders. Somewhere deeper in the shadows, gears were turning.