It was day 560 of the year 7707.
On this quiet night, a girl of about nine stood in her dimly lit room, changing out of her thin clothes.
Her hair, long and golden, shimmered faintly in the moonlight—like strands of sunlight preserved from summer.
This girl was Marlene.
'I should wear my thick clothes right now, so I can save more space in the bag for other stuff.'
As she peeled off her worn shirt, her small back came into view—laced with faint scars, barely visible but numerous.
'Adaptation's going well. I can recover from light scythe wounds in a few seconds now.'
Years ago, she'd pestered her mother for permission to bathe on her own so she wouldn't see her body.
Since then, she had used the privacy of the nights to test herself. To cut herself. To grow.
In the silence of the barn, while everyone slept, Marlene bled and healed using her parent's scythe used for farming—over and over again.
The first few times she nicked herself with the rusted edge, fever took hold—burning heat that lasted for days, leaving her trembling and suffering in silence.
By the fifth cut, the fever didn't come. Only a wave of dizziness that faded within hours.
By the tenth, not even that.
Her body was adapting to rust.
'My ability seems to be more effective on specific adaptations'
Marlene mused as she tucked the last of her supplies into a worn leather satchel.
'Although I can heal from light scythe wounds in a matter of seconds, other scratches and bruises still take roughly an hour to heal—which is still quite fast.'
"I'm outside, are you done yet?"
Marlene heard the familiar voice of her brother in her mind, she had gotten used to it already.
"I'll be there in a few minutes, I also have to take the scythe from the barn."
Xuan Feng knew that Marlene had a peculiar ability. He hadn't tried to sneakily gather clues about it since that would have the opposite effect on her trust. He wanted to gain her trust, not lose it.
"Alright, I'm waiting."
Some minutes later Marlene and Xuan Feng set out on their arduous journey to the Youth Recruitment Festival.
Only Xuan Feng had a clue about the waves they would cause there.
Meanwhile, deep in the forest not far from their path, the flicker of firelight lit the damp walls of a cave.
Three men huddled around the flames, their faces painted in shifting shadows.
"Boss Ren, are you sure that brat's headed here?"
A man with short auburn hair and a large hooked nose spoke up, his tone laced with irritation.
"We've been here two damn days. What if she's already dead?"
Ren didn't even look up. He leaned against the cavern wall, lazily spinning a dagger with engraved markings between his fingers.
"Patience, Meng Hao. You're still green—you don't understand the nuances of tracking."
Said the man with a scar running across his face.
He glanced toward the mouth of the cave, eyes gleaming.
"Her tracks lead straight here. This cave is the only shelter for miles. We've rigged traps all around it. If she shows, she's ours."
Meng Hao frowned. "And if she doesn't?"
Ren's grin widened, his voice turning low and confident.
"She will. Elves don't die that easily, especially not one with lifesaving treasures."
Liang Ren, Meng Hao, and Tian Fan were members of the infamous bandit group known as the Nighthawks.
They operated just outside the City of Wind, thriving in the shadows and striking with precision.
This time, they had been hired by a mysterious figure to hunt down an elven girl.
The job came with an unusually large reward. Normally, Ren would have sent some lower-ranking members to take care of it, but the offer was too rich to ignore.
That's why he brought Meng Hao, a promising young talent he'd taken under his wing; and Tian Fan, his most trusted aide. Ren himself would lead the mission.
A shriek rang out through the forest.
"That must be her!"
Meng Hao jumped to his feet, already reaching for his blade.
"No need to rush,"
Tian Fan said calmly as he stood up. His massive frame nearly filled the cave. Towering at two meters and built like a fortress, his presence made the air feel heavier.
The firelight bounced off his bald head, throwing warped shadows onto the cavern walls.
"If she triggered a trap, it means her treasures are likely used up. She's cornered."
Liang Ren stood and brushed the dust from his coat. He twirled his dagger once before sliding it into his belt.
"Tian Fan is probably right. But right now we can't afford any slip-ups. We move—now."