"Huff, that's enough for today," Sophia said, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.

Her cheeks were flushed, strands of hair sticking stubbornly to her skin.

I nodded, rolling my shoulders as the dull ache finally caught up to me.

"Yeah.

Let's go back."

The training grounds were quiet now, the dust settling where our feet had carved shallow marks into the earth.

The castle walls loomed not far away, their pale stone catching the last light of the afternoon sun.

As we walked side by side, the clink of our gear and the soft rhythm of our steps were the only sounds between us.

Sophia glanced at me from the corner of her eye.

"I wasn't expecting you would last this much."

I let out a small chuckle.

"That's supposed to be my line.

Don't you remember that day?

I put you down pretty easily."

"True," she replied, her voice trailing off.

The word lingered in the air longer than it needed to, carrying with it a memory neither of us bothered to say out loud.

She looked ahead again, expression unreadable, and we continued the rest of the way in silence.

That night passed quickly, or maybe it only felt that way because sleep came heavy and dreamless.

By the time morning arrived, the castle was already stirring with activity.

Servants moved briskly through the halls, and the courtyard echoed with the sound of hooves and wheels.

The next day came, and we prepared ourselves.

Crates were stacked neatly near the gates, bags tied tight, weapons checked and rechecked.

Everyone moved with a sense of purpose, even if no one said much.

I turned around, scanning the group.

"Everything is good?" I shouted.

Aria gave a firm nod.

"Yeah.

But we should make many turns.

The journey to the Dark Continent is long, after all."

I nodded back.

"Of course.

What's our first station, then?"

Aria's lips curled into a smile, the kind that usually meant trouble, or fun, or sometimes both.

"Lebara.

A port city all the way in the south.

It's the only city where ships sail toward the Dark Continent."

Before I could reply, Sarah stepped up behind her, arms crossed tightly against her chest.

"Lebara… that place is kind of lawless."

"I know," I said, meeting her gaze.

"But it's our only choice.

We'll go there and look for someone who can take us to the Dark Continent."

Sarah exhaled slowly.

"Would a single carriage even fit us all?"

I shook my head.

"No.

But don't worry.

I already told Aria to prepare two carriages."

That seemed to ease her, at least a little.

With that settled, I moved to help Tiamat load the remaining belongings.

She worked silently, efficiently, lifting heavy crates as if they weighed nothing at all.

I handed her bags, tightened straps, and made sure nothing was left behind.

When everything was finally in place, I climbed into the first carriage.

Inside were Elaris, Maria, Aria, and me.

The second carriage carried Tiamat, Lucy, Sarah, and Sophia.

Once everyone was seated, the drivers cracked their reins, and the carriages rolled forward.

The royal castle faded behind us as we entered the kingdom's main road.

It was a long, wide stretch that split the kingdom in two, running from the heart of the capital all the way down to the southern borders.

Fields extended on either side, dotted with small farmhouses and the occasional cluster of trees.

For a while, no one spoke.

The gentle rocking of the carriage and the sound of wheels against stone set a steady rhythm.

Maria sat quietly, hands folded in her lap, eyes fixed on the passing scenery.

Aria leaned back, arms behind her head, while Elaris stared straight ahead, lost in his thoughts.

I watched them all, feeling the weight of the journey pressing down on me little by little.

The kingdom was vast.

That much became painfully clear as the hours passed.

Even with a steady pace, we barely managed one-fifth of the way to the southern borders before the sun dipped low and painted the sky in shades of orange and red.

Fortunately, a nearby village came into view just as darkness began to settle.

The drivers slowed, guiding the carriages off the main road and into the village.

The place was small, quiet, almost too quiet.

A few houses stood clustered together, their windows dark.

We climbed down and started looking for an inn.

It didn't take long to find one.

It stood in the middle of the village, a two-story building with a weathered sign hanging crookedly above the door.

We pushed inside, and the bell chimed sharply in the stillness.

The first thing that struck us was the emptiness.

No laughter, no chatter, no patrons hunched over tables.

Just silence, and the owner.

She stood behind the counter, an elderly woman with white hair pulled back into a loose bun.

Her back was slightly hunched, hands resting on the worn wood in front of her.

It seemed the bell was the only reason she noticed us at all.

"Oh?" she said, blinking as she looked up.

"Visitors?

It's been ten years since the last one passed here."

At her words, everyone stiffened.

I could feel it, the subtle shift in posture, the unease that crept in uninvited.

An empty inn.

Ten years.

The atmosphere turned heavy in an instant.

I cleared my throat, forcing my voice to remain steady.

"How many rooms are available?"

She tilted her head, studying me.

"All rooms are free."

I sighed softly.

It was the only answer that made sense.

Stepping closer, I placed a bag of gold on the counter.

The coins clinked faintly as they settled.

"We'll take eight rooms for a single day."

Her eyes widened just a fraction.

She took the bag, weighed it in her hands, then reached beneath the counter.

When she straightened, she placed eight keys down, all identical in shape and style.

I gathered the keys and motioned for everyone to follow me upstairs.

The corridor was narrow, the floorboards creaking under our steps.

I stopped midway and handed each person a key.

Elaris was the first to take his, nodding once before heading to his room.

One by one, the others did the same, disappearing behind their doors.

I slipped my own key into my pocket and went back downstairs.

Outside, Tiamat was already unloading the remaining packages, carrying them toward the inn.

I joined her, working in silence.

It took about an hour to finish everything, the repetitive motion almost soothing.

When we were done, I told Tiamat to return to her room and get some rest.

I then headed toward the bathroom.

It was located behind the inn, separate from the main building.

I walked around to the back, the night air cool against my skin.

After finishing, I lingered for a moment, staring out through the small window.

That was when I heard footsteps.

Carefully, I shifted my position and looked out.

The inn owner was there, moving slowly, her posture low, her eyes darting around as if checking for witnesses.

The darkness and the narrow window worked in my favor, she didn't notice me watching.

She reached the very back of the inn and crouched down.

Her next action shocked me.

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