The scouting party returned to Millbrook two days after leaving, road-weary and carrying news no one wanted to hear.

  Guildmaster Aldric listened to Garrett's report in grim silence, his expression growing darker with each detail. The corrupted sites. Thornhaven's desperate state. The barrier, ancient, failing, and days from complete collapse.

  "You're certain about the timeline?" Aldric asked when Garrett finished. "Days, not weeks?"

  "I'm certain," Garrett confirmed. "The cracks were spreading visibly. Whatever's holding that barrier together is giving out fast."

  Aldric turned to Lyria. "You saw it too?"

  "Yes sir. And there were ritual circles near the base. Fresh ones. Someone's been working dark magic right next to the barrier." Lyria's ears twitched with remembered unease. "This isn't natural failure. Someone's helping it along."

  "That's... deeply troubling." Aldric made notes, his pen scratching urgently across paper. "I'll need to contact the capital immediately. This requires high-level mages, experienced seal-work specialists, possibly military support if the corruption spreads,"

  "There isn't time for that," Lyria interrupted. "By the time the capital mobilizes a response, the barrier will be gone. Thornhaven will be consumed. The corruption will be halfway here."

  "What do you suggest?"

  "I don't know yet. But we need to do something now. Today. Not wait for the capital to send help that might arrive too late."

  Aldric studied her for a long moment. "You're right. Of course you're right." He stood. "Give me one day. I'll reach out to every contact I have, call in every favor owed. We'll organize something, a fast response team, emergency supplies, whatever we can scrape together. Meet back here tomorrow morning. In the meantime," He looked at each member of the scouting party. "Rest. Recover. You've done good work. Dangerous work. Take the evening."

  They filed out of his office. In the main hall, the party dispersed, Garrett to file a formal written report, Bram and Brom to the tavern for ale and recovery, Mira to the temple to consult with other healers.

  Kara touched Lyria's arm gently. "You okay? You've been quiet since we saw the barrier."

  "Just thinking."

  "About?"

  "About what happens if we can't fix it. If the barrier falls and the darkness spreads." Lyria's ears drooped. "Millbrook's only seventy miles from the Shadowfen. That's... that's not far enough."

  "Then we make sure it doesn't come to that," Kara said firmly. "Aldric will organize something. You'll see. And when they need fighters, we'll be ready."

  "Yeah," Lyria said, not quite believing it. "Ready."

  Kara squeezed her shoulder and headed off toward her own lodgings, leaving Lyria standing in the guild hall, trying to figure out what to do with a day that might be one of her last normal days in Millbrook.

  Normal, she decided. One normal day. That's all I want.

  ***

  She started at the market.

  The morning was clear and bright, the autumn sun warm on her face. The market bustled with its usual energy, vendors calling out their wares, shoppers haggling over prices, the comfortable chaos of a town going about its daily business.

  No one here knew. No one understood that seventy miles away, darkness pressed against a failing barrier. That their peaceful morning might be numbered.

  Lyria made her way to her favorite produce stall, where the halfling vendor was arranging a fresh delivery of vegetables.

  "Back again?" the woman said with a welcoming smile. "That's twice this week. You're keeping me in business."

  "Your carrots are the best," Lyria said, which was absolutely true and not at all embarrassing to admit.

  "Well, I've got a fresh batch just came in this morning. Biggest, crispest ones I've seen all season." The halfling bagged up a dozen. "Four copper, and I'll throw in some of those radishes you like."

  Lyria paid, accepted the bag, and immediately bit into a carrot. The crunch was satisfying, the flavor sweet and earthy. Her rabbit body approved wholeheartedly.

  "You settling in town?" the vendor asked. "Feel like I see you almost every day now."

  "I am. It's... it's a good place."

  "Best town in the region, if you ask me. Quiet. Safe. Good people." The halfling began arranging her display. "Though I worry sometimes. All these refugees coming through from the east, talking about darkness and bad dreams. Makes you wonder what's really happening out there."

  Lyria's ears twitched. "Do you think the town's in danger?"

  "Nah. We've got walls, guards, the guild hall full of adventurers. Whatever's happening out east, it won't reach us. We're protected." The vendor smiled confidently. "That's what the guild's for, right? Keeping us safe from the scary things."

  "Right," Lyria said quietly. "That's what we're for."

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  She bought a few more vegetables, radishes, celery, some leafy greens, and wandered through the market, trying to enjoy the normalcy of it all.

  But the vendor's words echoed in her head. We're protected. Whatever's happening won't reach us.

  If only she knew how wrong she was.

  ***

  Lyria found Finn at the meadow, practicing alone with his stick-sword.

  "Miss Lyria!" He dropped his practice stance and ran over, his face lighting up. "You're back! How was the contract? Did you see anything exciting?"

  "It was... educational," Lyria said, not wanting to scare him with the truth. "Lot of traveling. Some interesting sights."

  "Did you fight anything?"

  "Not really. Mostly just looking around and taking notes." She gestured to his stick. "Show me what you've been working on."

  Finn beamed and moved back into position. He ran through the stances she'd taught him, smoother now, more confident. His footwork was improving, his balance better. Two weeks of daily practice showing real results.

  "That's good," Lyria said. "Really good. Your foundation is getting solid."

  "Solid enough for actual sword work?" Finn asked hopefully.

  "Maybe another month. Your body's still developing. Rush it and you'll just develop bad habits or hurt yourself." She sat down in the grass, gesturing for him to join her. "Take a break. Tell me what else you've been working on."

  Finn flopped down beside her, launching into an enthusiastic report about the other training he'd been doing, running to build stamina, climbing trees for upper body strength, even some meditation the orphanage's priest had taught him "to keep a clear mind during combat."

  Lyria listened, smiling despite the weight in her chest. This kid was so earnest, so determined, so full of hope for a future he was working hard to achieve.

  A future that might not exist if she couldn't fix what was happening to the east.

  "Miss Lyria?" Finn's voice pulled her from dark thoughts. "Are you okay? You look sad."

  "Just tired from traveling." She ruffled his hair. "But I'm glad I got to see you today."

  "Me too." Finn was quiet for a moment, then: "Some of the other kids at the orphanage are scared. The refugees have been talking, saying scary things. About darkness coming, about things in the woods that shouldn't exist." He looked at her seriously. "But you wouldn't let anything bad happen to us, right?"

  The faith in his eyes was unbearable.

  "I'll do everything I can," Lyria promised. "Everything."

  "I know. You're a hero." Said with such simple certainty, like it was just an obvious fact.

  If only it were that simple.

  They sat together in the meadow for another hour, Lyria teaching him some basic breathing exercises to help with stamina and control. Normal training things. Safe things. The kind of peaceful afternoon she'd come to treasure.

  When the sun began its descent toward the horizon, Finn had to head back to the orphanage for evening chores.

  "Will you be here tomorrow?" he asked.

  "I don't know. I might have another contract. But I'll try." She hugged him. "Stay safe, okay? Stay close to the orphanage, don't wander too far."

  "I will. You stay safe too."

  He ran off, waving once before disappearing down the path toward town.

  Lyria sat in the meadow alone, watching the sun paint the sky in oranges and golds.

  One more day, she thought. Give me one more day like this. One more normal, peaceful day before everything goes wrong.

  ***

  Lyria was halfway back to town when she saw the commotion.

  People were gathering in the square, pointing, talking in excited or worried tones. She quickened her pace, her ears swiveling to catch fragments of conversation.

  "-just rode in, looks exhausted,"

  "-says she's from the Celestial Archives,"

  "-asking about the Moonshadow,"

  Lyria's blood went cold.

  She pushed through the crowd, her height giving her advantage, until she could see what everyone was staring at.

  An elf woman stood in the center of the square, travel-worn and clearly exhausted, speaking urgently with the town guard. Her silver hair was pulled back in an intricate braid, and her armor, though dusty from the road, was of exceptional quality.

  Even from a distance, even having never seen her before, Lyria knew.

  This woman was looking for her. Looking for Lyriana Moonshadow.

  Looking for the hero everyone thought she was.

  The elf's gaze swept across the crowd, and stopped on Lyria.

  Their eyes met.

  Recognition flared in the elf's expression, immediate, certain, desperate.

  She started moving through the crowd toward Lyria.

  "No," Lyria whispered, her ears flattening. "No, no, no."

  She turned to flee,

  And nearly collided with Kara, who had appeared from somewhere in the crowd.

  "What's going on?" Kara asked.

  "I need to go. I need to,"

  "You."

  The elf's voice cut through the noise of the crowd. Strong. Clear. Desperate.

  Lyria turned slowly, every instinct screaming at her to run.

  The elf woman stood a few feet away, staring at Lyria with an expression caught between hope and disbelief.

  "You're, you can't be," The elf's voice cracked. "Please. Please tell me you're really her. Tell me you're Lyriana Moonshadow."

  Every person in the square turned to stare at Lyria.

  The silence was absolute.

  Lyria stood frozen, her heart hammering, as the moment she'd been dreading finally arrived.

  The moment her peaceful life ended and something else, something dangerous and unavoidable, began.

  "I..." Her voice failed.

  The elf took a step closer, and Lyria could see tears shimmering in her eyes.

  "I've been searching for you for three weeks," the elf said, her voice carrying across the silent square. "Riding day and night, checking every town, every rumor. They said the Moonshadow was dead, but I refused to believe it. And now you're here. You're really here."

  She dropped to one knee.

  The entire square gasped.

  "Lady Moonshadow," the elf said, her voice shaking with emotion. "I am Silvara Dawnwhisper, Keeper of the Celestial Archives. The Shadowfen barrier is failing, and you're the only one who can save us."

  Lyria stared down at her, mind blank with panic, as every eye in the square turned to her, the legendary hero they'd been hosting without knowing it.

  The town guard started murmuring. People pulled out the old paintings, the stories, comparing them to the tall rabbitfolk woman standing in their square.

  And Silvara knelt there, waiting for an answer, desperate and hopeful and convinced that Lyria could fix everything.

  "Please," Silvara whispered. "Please tell me you'll help."

  Lyria opened her mouth.

  Closed it.

  Looked at Kara, who was staring at her in shock. At the crowd, pressing closer. At Silvara, kneeling with desperate faith in her eyes.

  At the future she'd been trying to build, crumbling around her.

  "I..." Lyria tried again. "I need to think. I need; can we talk somewhere private?"

  "Of course. Anywhere. Just," Silvara stood. "Just please don't say no. The corruption is spreading. People are dying. If the barrier falls completely..." She stopped, swallowing hard. "You're our last hope."

  No pressure, Lyria thought hysterically.

  "The inn," she managed. "The Copper Bell Inn. Give me five minutes. I'll meet you there."

  Silvara nodded and headed toward the inn, the crowd parting for her.

  Lyria stood in the square, acutely aware of everyone staring, whispering, finally understanding who she was.

  "Lyria," Kara said quietly. "You're the Moonshadow? The legendary hero from the stories?"

  "It's complicated."

  "How is that complicated? You either are or you aren't."

  "I am. I'm not. I don't know." Lyria's ears were flat against her skull. "I need to go. I need to talk to her. Figure out what's happening."

  She fled toward the inn, leaving Kara and the crowd and her shattered anonymity behind.

  Her peaceful life in Millbrook, the normal, safe existence she'd been building, was over.

  And the only question now was whether she could become the hero everyone needed her to be.

  Or whether they'd all discover she'd been a fraud all along.

  The inn loomed ahead, and beyond it, a future she wasn't ready for but would have to face anyway.