Kyren met Lydel at the beginning of the path leading out of the village toward the inner city. The forest thickened as they walked, the sun barely peeking over the horizon, casting faint light through the trees. The air was cool and still, only the rustling of leaves breaking the silence.
They moved in quiet understanding, making their way to the clearing where their supplies had been stashed. Kyren slung the bag over his back—he didn't want to waste inventory space, so he kept it out.
Kyren and Lydel crouched low, staying hidden from view. Lydel rustled around in his bag before pulling out a pair of old binoculars, scanning the road ahead.
"How long have you had those?" Kyren asked.
"For years, bro."
Kyren raised a brow. "What do you even need them for? You never leave the outskirts. You got someone you've been stalking around the village?"
Lydel scoffed. "No, I would never do that. You know I only got eyes for her." A wide grin spread across his face.
Kyren knew exactly who he was talking about—the girl from the academy. She had been his neighbor back when he lived in the inner city, the daughter of a high-ranking official.
"Did she even like you back?" Kyren asked.
"Yes! That's why I had to leave. People wouldn't let me be—always trying to fight me for her attention. Almost got me kicked out."
Kyren smirked. "You still ended up leaving, though."
"It was either leave or get kicked out," Lydel said with a shrug.
Kyren let it drop. No use messing with him about it anymore.
They had been staking out the trail for nearly two hours when Lydel suddenly whispered, "They're coming. I see them."
A carriage, pulled by a massive 10-foot-tall horse, rolled into the clearing. The vehicle creaked to a stop, and a large man stepped out, hoisting a heavy wooden box. He carried it to the base of a tree, set it down, then returned to the carriage. As he climbed back in, Kyren caught a glimpse of another passenger—a man in a red robe.
Kyren and Lydel moved carefully through the woods, keeping their distance but close enough to follow. If they were spotted, they needed to make it look like they were just travelers leaving the village.
For miles, they trailed the carriage, only stopping when it did. The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in deep blues and purples. Still, no town appeared on the road ahead.
Then, from the shadows of the forest, movement. A blur of fur.
A massive beast darted onto the path, followed by another. And another.
Three wolves, each standing at least six feet tall on all fours, blocked their way. Their snarls rumbled through the air, fangs bared.
Kyren summoned Lion's Requiem. The onyx-black blade glinted in the pale moonlight—his first time using it in battle. He tightened his grip, feeling the weight of it, heavier than his dagger but extending his reach.
Lydel drew his sword, shifting into a ready stance.
Kyren didn't hesitate. He flash-stepped forward, blade slashing through the nearest wolf's side. The cut was clean, the edge sharper than he expected. The beast yelped, stumbling back.
The wolf on the left lunged at Lydel. He sidestepped swiftly, leaving behind a shimmering afterimage. The beast bit at the illusion, allowing Lydel to slice his blade down in a clean arc. The wolf's head hit the dirt before its body.
The remaining wolf leaped at Kyren, jaws snapping. Kyren instinctively flash-stepped, vanishing just before the fangs could close around him. He reappeared at its side, momentum already carrying his blade downward. Activating Momentum Slash, he cleaved through the wolf's spine. The body split in two before collapsing to the ground.
The first wolf, the one Kyren had injured, limped to the side of the road. It lay down, panting heavily, its body too weak to move. It had already accepted its fate.
Lydel let out a low whistle. "Bro, what exactly can this sword do?"
"It creates an afterimage of your first move," Kyren replied, sliding his blade back into its sheath.
"That's so cool. Where'd you even get this?" Lydel asked excitedly.
Kyren didn't answer. He didn't have a good lie for that one. Lydel knew damn well he didn't have the money for an enchanted sword. And Kyren couldn't keep using the family excuse forever.
Before Lydel could press further, Kyren quickly changed the subject. "Where's the carriage? We can't lose it. We've already passed four forks in the road. What if there's another?"
Lydel chuckled, already pulling out his binoculars. "Relax, I can still see their lantern. They're not too far ahead."
Without another word, he broke into a brisk run.
Kyren sighed and sprinted after him. "Lydel, you be creeping on old ladies with those binoculars, don't you?"
Lydel shot him a glare. "I'm not a creep. And if I was, it wouldn't be old ladies."
They both burst into quiet laughter.
Up ahead, the carriage came to a stop again. The boys ducked off the road and crept closer, keeping low in the thick brush. They were about thirty yards away when a gruff voice spoke.
"We should make it back to the temple in about three hours, sir."
A nasal voice replied, irritated. "I want to sleep in my own bed. Why does the boss always send me to these backwater villages?"
The large man from earlier climbed down from the carriage, pulling a bucket of water and a pouch of grain from the back. He set the bucket down and poured the grain into a trough for the massive horse.
"These are good-paying jobs with no risk, sir. I don't see what's so bad about them," the large man said.
"You've never been deeper into the city than Sintara, have you, Gerald?" the nasal voice—Thneed, apparently—responded.
"No, sir," Gerald replied. "I've spent my whole life in Sintara or traveling with you."
"That explains it," Thneed muttered. "You don't know what you're missing. The inner city has everything we don't."
Gerald didn't get the chance to reply before Thneed cut him off again. "How long before we move out?"
"Two hours for the horse to rest, sir," Gerald said.
"Then I'm sleeping," Thneed grumbled before disappearing back into the carriage.
Kyren glanced at Lydel. "We should move further back, stay out of earshot. We can rest and eat some of the supplies I brought."
Lydel nodded.
The boys found a safe spot deeper in the forest, taking the chance to eat and rest. They were on the final stretch now—only a few more hours left.
When the carriage began moving again, they resumed their pursuit. The thick forest stretched endlessly, mile after mile. But as they walked, the trees gradually began to thin.
Then, in the distance, a faint light appeared.
Lydel raised his binoculars. "Kyren… you're gonna wanna see this."
Kyren took the binoculars, peering through them.
His breath hitched.
Ahead of them, a sprawling village shimmered with electric light. Not torchlight. Not fire. Electricity.
He hadn't seen lights like this since he left the inner city four years ago.
"How do they have enough power for all of this?" Kyren muttered.
"The only time I've seen anything close was at the S-Ranked academy," Lydel said. "And even that didn't put off this much light."
A heavy silence hung between them.
Something about this place wasn't normal.
And whatever it was, they were walking straight into it.