They all appeared in a yellow daisy-filled meadow.

It was so sudden, so seamless, that for a brief moment nobody spoke. The field stretched out in every direction, golden flowers bobbing gently in a cool, fragrant breeze. Above them, the sky was a bright, flawless blue, dotted with lazy white clouds that moved far too slowly

Bell blinked. "...Well. That's new."

A soft shimmer rolled over their bodies, and each of them suddenly felt the weight and comfort of gear reappearing. Armour straps pulled snug. Weapons returned to their sheaths. Tarni let out a surprised grunt as the familiar weight of his bandolier settled across his chest.

"Okay," he muttered. "Magical daisy fields that put my jacket back on. I can live with this."

They stood for a moment, soaking it in. The air was crisp and clean, carrying the scent of flowers and something faintly herbal. It felt too perfect.

Zane adjusted the straps on his reinforced leather, scanning the horizon. "Anyone else getting the feeling this is the tutorial zone?"

Kai pointed. "Look—over there."

In the distance, nestled at the base of a gently sloping hill, was a village. A solid wooden wall enclosed it in a rough circle, and from their vantage point, they could see buildings crafted from stone and wood, their slate roofs catching the sunlight in glints of grey-blue. Thin trails of smoke drifted lazily from chimneys, and tiny dots—people, maybe—moved about within.

As they walked, the flowers gradually gave way to a dirt path, well-trodden and edged with grass. The occasional butterfly flitted by. It all felt… staged. Like a storybook backdrop waiting for a hero to arrive.

"I feel like we're about to get offered a quest to kill five rats in a basement," Kai muttered.

Bell tilted her head, watching the village grow closer. "Honestly? I don't hate it."

At the base of the hill, flanking the wide wooden gate into the village, stood two human guards. Both wore padded gambesons and chainmail over it, their pikes tall and gleaming. One had a short, neatly trimmed beard and a bored expression. The other was younger, shifting from foot to foot like he'd had too much coffee.

As the group approached, Lily slowed, eyes scanning the gate.

"Wow," she said. "This place looks just like a Quintessential Beginner's Village from an isekai novel or anime."

Kai nodded solemnly. "Right down to the mandatory wooden gate guards and suspiciously idyllic weather."

"Do you think we get free bread if we say hello?" Lily asked.

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Kai's eyes stayed on the guards. "Or a fetch quest. Probably both."

They reached the gate.

The bearded guard looked up, blinking. His eyes flicked across each of them—lingering on the weapons, the armor, the sheer out-of-place nature of their appearance—and then straightened with sudden alertness.

"Hail, travelers!" he called, doing his best to sound official.

The younger guard scrambled to match his posture. "State your names and purpose in Edgewater."

Tarni leaned in toward Zane. "Edgewater? Of course it's called Edgewater."

Zane gave him a sideways look. "Better than Swampleg or something."

Bell stepped forward, raising one hand in a non-threatening wave. "We're… just passing through. New arrivals."

The bearded guard eyed them carefully. "You bear the mark of Adventurers, are you here to help then?"

"Something like that," Zane replied cautiously.

The younger guard broke into a grin. "Oh! Then you'll want to speak with the Guildmaster. He handles all adventures. You're the first to arrive."

Zane frowned. "The first?"

The guard looked sheepish. "Well… we sent out a request to the King for help weeks ago."

The bearded guard clipped the younger guard in the back of the head as he grumbled

"You don't have to share your life's story with everyone that comes by"

"Sorry, yeah, sorry."

After a short, awkward silence, Tarni replied, "Well, um, yes, we are here now."

After getting instructions on how to get to the guild building, the group waited for the guards to open the gate.

As the gate creaked open and the village beyond revealed itself in full, the group stepped into the village, one that smelled of fresh bread, wet stone, and the undeniable scent of no modern plumbing.

Zane sighed and motioned them forward. "Let's see what Edgewater has in store."

The cobbled street just inside the gate curved gently left, leading deeper into the village. Timber-framed houses with flowering window boxes lined either side, and villagers went about their business with practiced ease. Some gave polite nods as the group passed; others paused, eyes widening at the sight of their armour and weapons.

Zane kept his eyes moving, scanning signs and storefronts. On the right, smoke drifted lazily from the wide chimney of a blacksmith's forge. The muscular woman working the anvil didn't even glance up as sparks danced with each hammerfall. Her sign swung gently in the breeze, emblazoned with a pair of crossed swords and the name Iron Ivy.

Across the road, a narrower building sat half-hidden behind a stand of crooked herbs growing wildly in clay pots. A wooden sign, shaped like a bubbling flask, read Mossroot Remedies. The faint scent of crushed mint and something vaguely sulphuric hung in the air.

Tarni gave a long, wistful sigh. "That's an alchemist's shop. Do you think they sell grenades?"

Bell shot him a look. "No time for shopping sprees."

She stopped walking and turned to the group, her expression shifting to something firmer.

"Don't forget—we only have twenty-four hours to level everyone up. We need to get a quest or something and go do it ASAP."

Kai nodded. "Right. And we should try to find something that's not… you know, instant death."

"Or rats," Lily added. "No offense to rats, but I'm not wasting my big debut on rodents."

Zane looked toward the larger building up ahead—easily the biggest structure in the village. It stood at the crossroads, two stories tall with banners hanging from the eaves depicting a sword-and-scroll symbol. The stone base looked older, like it had survived more than one generation of adventurers. A worn sign above the door simply read: Adventurers' Guild.

He motioned toward it. "That's our stop."

They moved as a group, boots clunking on the cobblestones. People parted ahead of them, a mix of curiosity and caution on their faces.

Tarni leaned toward Zane as they approached the wide wooden doors. "Place your bets—who's waiting inside? Gruff ex-hero with a drinking problem or overenthusiastic receptionist who hands out friendship bracelets?"

"I'll take both," Zane replied. "Double or nothing."

He pushed the door open.

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