Two teenagers, a boy and a girl, were making their way through the darkness. Their footsteps echoed with each step, reverberating through a landscape shrouded in shadow. The terrain beneath them rippled faintly, and the shapes that jutted out around them were the remnants of buildings and plants, now overgrown and saturated with a kind of darkness that seemed to seep into everything.

Their only source of light came from the small lamps hanging from their belts. Inside each one was a glowing twig, a sliver of luminous plant that shone like a miniature star. Even so, the light barely pierced the heavy veil of gloom surrounding them.

“Hey, Alwyn, are you sure this is the right place?” the girl asked. She had short purple hair and wore a dark blouse with a wide, sailor-style collar, a matching skirt, long purple pants, and black boots.

“I said it before. Yes,” Alwyn replied dryly. His eyes stayed sharp, constantly scanning their surroundings. One gloved hand rested near the book hanging from his hip. His blond hair was tied in a low ponytail, and he wore a black coat over a grey turtleneck.

“Seriously? We’ve been walking around this place for hours, and there’s nothing in sight!” the girl huffed. “They should be paying us more for this.”

“Our payment is based on completed missions, Erika,” Alwyn replied, just as dry.

“Well, they should’ve paid us by the hour!” Erika said, placing her hands on her hips with an exaggerated sigh. “We’ve been running around like headless chickens, hunting some so-called Starfiend when there’s clearly nothing out here. Those people must’ve lied to us!”

“It can’t be helped,” Alwyn replied. “This area is sometimes used as a path for travelers, so we need to make sure it’s clear.”

“Ugh, can’t they just turn it into a proper road instead of leaving it as part of the Wastes?” Erika groaned. She figured it always came down to money. Why bother spending rare resources to expand the ward and secure this path when they could just order some underpaid grunts to keep it barely safe?

Alwyn opened his mouth, probably to deliver another dry remark, but before he could speak, a sudden noise caught both their attention. The two of them immediately turned toward the sound. Alwyn opened his book while Erika summoned glowing threads that coiled around her hands.

When they reached the source, they spotted a figure hunched in the shadows beneath some withered trees. Erika was about to launch an attack when Alwyn raised an arm to stop her.

“What?” Erika hissed.

“That’s not a Starfiend,” Alwyn muttered.

Right then, the shadow shifted. A boy with short white hair turned toward them, revealing a pair of golden eyes. He wore a blue hoodie and long dark pants, and, strangely, he was chewing on a dark mushroom. Its cap was a deep purplish-black, almost velvety, with faint glowing specks like stardust scattered across its surface. 

Erika’s eye twitched. “That’s gotta be some new type of Starfiend, right? No way a normal person would eat something like that. That thing looks poisonous.”

“Correction: the plant in question is safe to consume. Though not advisable for those with weak constitutions. Additionally, cooking it—” a mechanical voice chimed in her mind.

“Shut it,” Erika snapped.

Alwyn gave her a puzzled glance but quickly refocused on the boy, who had finished chewing.

“Hello,” Alwyn said evenly.

“Hello!” the boy replied brightly, standing up and walking toward them. “I didn’t expect to see anyone else here!”

Erika instinctively stepped back, her face twisting in disgust. “Ew, ew, ew, stay away.” There was no way she was getting close to some weirdo they had just met in the Wastes, especially one who thought chewing on some random mushroom, safe or not, was in any way normal.

“Did you get lost?” Alwyn asked calmly. It was certainly odd to see someone eating a wild mushroom raw, but he understood the kind of hunger that made people desperate enough to ignore caution.

“Ah, yeah, I did. I wandered off from the village and ended up in this creepy place,” the boy said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I thought I’d have to survive out here alone… and eat those mushrooms!”

“I see. I suppose it’s your luck that you ran into us,” Alwyn said, extending a hand. “We’re with the Starvanguard. My name is Alwyn, and she’s Erika.”

The boy eagerly shook his hand. “Nice to meet you! My name is…”

He paused, his expression going vacant, a dazed look settling in his golden eyes. The aura around him seemed to grow distant and confused.

“Please don’t tell me you’re amnesiac,” Erika muttered, glaring at him. She really didn’t want to deal with dead weight, not today or ever.

“My name is Han!” the boy said suddenly, beaming.

“You didn’t just make that up, did you?” Erika asked, one eyebrow raised.

“Well, nice to meet you too, Han,” Alwyn said, unfazed by whether Han was lying or not. He didn’t sense any danger from the boy, and even if there was, he was confident he could handle it. “If you want to leave this place, I suggest you stick with us.”

“Hold on! I never agreed to dragging around some deadweight and turning this into an escort mission!” Erika protested. Her day was already bad enough. First, they got saddled with this boring, low-paying job thanks to their lazy master. Then they spent hours wandering aimlessly. And now they’d found some weirdo who thought eating mystery mushrooms in the Wastes was a good idea.

“It’s protocol,” Alwyn said flatly. “If we encounter a civilian in need, we’re required to help.”

“I’m not going to—” Erika began with a growl.

“Who knows? Maybe he’s someone important, and we’ll get an extra reward for our efforts,” Alwyn added, fully aware of Erika’s temperament despite having known her only a short time.

“You’re right! Helping others is the right thing to do!” Erika said, changing her tone immediately.

With everyone in agreement, the three teens traveled together. Darkness loomed over them, muffling the distant shapes of ruined buildings and overgrown vegetation. Han kept glancing around the desolate expanse with wide, curious eyes.

Noticing his expression, Erika asked, “What’s got you so excited?”

“Ah, no... I’m just wondering why everything here is so dark,” Han muttered.

“We’re in the Wastes. What else did you expect?” Erika replied, shooting him a look like he’d just asked if water was wet. Then again, considering what he ate earlier, maybe the kid really was that clueless.

“...What are the Wastes?” Han asked, tilting his head.

“You don’t know what the Wastes are?” Erika echoed, staring at him like he’d grown a second head. “What the heck are you? Some kind of sheltered rich kid? Everyone knows what the Wastes are!”

The Wastes were common knowledge, drilled into everyone from a young age. Even the most underprivileged folks knew to stay far away from it. How could someone not?

“The Wastes are areas outside the protection of the Wards,” Alwyn explained calmly. “They began to appear after the Starfiends descended on our world. In these places, most life can’t survive. The land itself rejects normal plants. Humans aren’t allowed to travel here unless they’re escorted, have special permissions, or belong to the Starvanguard. Starfiends claim this territory, and anyone without proper defense typically dies shortly after setting foot here.”

“Ah, I see,” Han nodded sagely, though the look in his eyes was more fascinated than concerned.

His attention soon drifted to a distant glow in the horizon. “What’s that?”

“That’s a Lumenbloom,” Alwyn said, a hint of relief in his voice. “Looks like we’re in luck.”

They made their way toward the light source and came upon a massive glowing tree. Its bark was pale white, and its leaves shimmered with a purple hue. Unlike the dim, sickly Wastes around it, the area surrounding the tree looked almost normal, as if untouched by the corruption.

Han’s golden eyes widened as he stared in wonder.

Before he could ask, Alwyn continued, “It's said to be the last blessing of the Fae. According to legend, they pitied and loved humankind. With the last of their strength, they turned their bodies into trees like this one so their light might forever shine against the darkness.”

Erika snorted at the story.

“Oh! So is that shiny lamp you guys carry a mini Lumenbloom?” Han asked, pointing to the lanterns that had lit their path. Before meeting these two, Han had wandered through the Wastes on his own, navigating mostly by instinct. While it wasn’t completely pitch-black, the oppressive gloom made moving around difficult for most. Still, Han managed well enough. His eyes had adjusted, allowing him to slip through the shadows without much trouble.

“Yes, these lanterns are standard Starvanguard equipment,” Alwyn replied. He then tapped the pouch strapped to his leg. “Just like this.”

From the pouch, he pulled out a full bundle of firewood, far too large to fit inside it normally. The pouch’s rim widened unnaturally as the item was drawn out.

“Whoa! That’s so cool!” Han said with awe.

“Look at you, Alwyn,” Erika said, watching the scene with mild amusement. “Explaining everything so patiently. Maybe you missed your calling as a teacher.”

Alwyn didn’t respond to her jab. Instead, he offered more context. “The interior space of the pouch is enlarged through runes etched into the material.”

“So like... you could shove a whole house in there?” Han asked, grinning.

“Of course not, idiot. There’s a limit,” Erika said flatly.

Alwyn decided to cook some stew for the group. Normally, he would have made do with the small rations he brought along, but Erika’s foul mood and Han’s hungry, expectant gaze made it clear that a proper meal was necessary if they wanted the mission to proceed smoothly. With a sigh, he reached into his pouch and pulled out the pre-cut ingredients he had prepared back at the house.

The stew was simple: chunks of salted meat, dried root vegetables, and preserved herbs simmered in a small pot of water over the fire. The scent wasn’t rich, but it was warm and savory, carrying just enough spice to make the cold air feel less biting. Alwyn wasn’t a seasoned cook, but he hadn’t forgotten the days of his youth when he had been the only one both willing and able to care for his ailing mother. He had learned enough back then to make food that was edible, and occasionally even decent.

When the stew was done, Erika and Han immediately dug in, neither offering to help nor showing the slightest hesitation or shame.

“It’s passable,” Erika said between bites, chewing without much enthusiasm.

“It’s great!” Han exclaimed, already on his second helping as he shoveled more into his mouth.

Alwyn merely grunted, unmoved by either complaint or praise. As long as neither of them caused trouble during the mission, that was good enough for him.

As they ate, Han’s curiosity flared up again. He looked between them and asked, “So, this Starvanguard thing… are you guys like hunters or something? Do you fight those creatures called… Starfiends?”

“That’s our primary role, yes,” Alwyn replied.

“Well, most of the time we’re just a couple of poor sods stuck working for pocket change,” Erika groaned.

“So you guys help people?” Han asked.

Alwyn and Erika exchanged glances. That was the official purpose, sure. The Starvanguard had been founded to combat the Starfiends who once descended upon the world and nearly brought about its destruction. But the people who joined all had their own reasons.

“I guess so,” Alwyn said.

“Maybe,” Erika muttered.

“Then… can I join?” Han asked, his eyes lighting up with enthusiasm.

“Ugh, why?” Erika grimaced at the sparkle in his gaze. She was really starting to feel like they weren’t going to get along. Han’s bubbly attitude was exactly the kind of energy she had zero patience for.

“Why not? I want to help people too!” Han beamed.

“First of all, can you even fight?” Erika shot back. “You’d be facing monsters that tear through trained soldiers. And frankly? You don’t exactly scream 'combat-ready.' You didn’t even remember your own name earlier!”

“I do know it! It’s Han!” he protested.

“Yeah, sure you do,” Erika muttered, clearly unconvinced. “Anyway, forget it. Just go back to wherever you came from and stay out of trouble.”

Han pouted, mumbling something under his breath as he poked at the last bits of stew.