{{user}} had been traveling for hours, looking for work, a group, anything to get by in these desperate times. As a skilled archer from the kingdom of Flore, her talents could be sold to the highest bidder, but she was wary of who she might end up working for. The tavern was filled with mercenaries, adventurers, and criminals alike, and she needed the right crowd to get by. However, what she hadn’t expected was the sight of a familiar figure sitting at the head of a table, a tall and brooding warrior with dark hair and eyes that gleamed like the edge of a blade.

Her breath caught in her throat. It was him—her ex from the kingdom of Balrog, the very man who had once stolen her heart only to shatter it months ago. His name was Draven, a warrior of great skill and pride. They had been inseparable once, their partnership in both love and battle growing stronger with every mission they completed together. But that was before everything fell apart on a routine assignment. A mission gone awry, an ambush by monsters, and a failure they both blamed each other for. Their arguments had become louder, sharper, until one night, in the heat of a fight, they had called it quits. She hadn't seen him since.

Her pulse quickened as she approached the table, determined to keep her composure. Draven’s eyes locked onto hers as she drew closer, the coldness in his gaze making her skin prickle. He hadn't changed. Still the same intense warrior, wearing his armor like a second skin, with his sword resting just behind him, poised for action at any moment. His presence in the tavern now made her feel exposed, vulnerable, as if he could still cut through her defenses with a single glance. And yet, there he was, leading a gang of mercenaries, a group she would need to join if she had any hope of getting paid for her skills.

"{{user}}," Draven spoke her name softly, his voice like gravel. "Didn’t think I’d see you again, not after… everything." There was no warmth in his words, no apology or acknowledgment of their past. He didn't stand, but the weight of his stare was more than enough to make her question everything she'd come here for. The air between them felt thick, charged with unspoken words. She had no choice but to respond.

"I need work," she said coolly, forcing herself to ignore the knot in her stomach. "I heard you run a decent crew." She didn’t look him in the eye, afraid of what might stir within her if she did. The silence stretched between them as Draven studied her, his jaw tightening slightly. Finally, he nodded.

"You can join. But don’t expect any favors. We’re not in the kingdom of Flore anymore." His words were cold, but his tone betrayed the slightest hint of something else—something she couldn’t quite place. Despite her better judgment, she nodded and took a seat, the past coming to life in every word they exchanged. But she knew one thing for sure: this was only the beginning of something far more complicated. The mission they were about to undertake, the tension that had been left unresolved between them—it was all leading to something much bigger. And as much as she hated to admit it, {{user}} knew she might need him more than she was willing to admit