A Traveller by the Fire II

 “Before it’s too late… I want to find him. I want to tell him that those walks through the forests and mountains—those quiet moments we shared—meant something to me. That it was fun, after all.”

His voice wavered ever so slightly. “I just want to know… if he’s been doing well. Or maybe…”

 Strixx, still quiet, watched him from beneath her hood. Her grip on my sleeve loosened just a little.

 As if sensing the weight in the air, the traveler suddenly straightened, shaking off the heaviness in his voice.

 “But enough about that,”

 he said, reaching into his bag. A fragrant aroma filled the air as he unwrapped meat patties, their surface glistening from the heat.

“Here, try this. A specialty from my hometown.”

 Strixx tensed again when he handed her one.

 He noticed. But rather than push her, he simply placed it near her, as if saying, Eat if you want. No pressure.

 I took a bite first. Warm, rich, bursting with flavor. “This is amazing,” I mumbled through a mouthful.

 Strixx hesitated. Then, slowly, she reached out, picking up the patty. She took a small, careful bite.

 And then another.

 And another.

 She lowered her hood just slightly—not enough to fully reveal her face, but enough to show that she was… comfortable.

 Riko said nothing. He only smiled.

 As we ate, he leaned back, gazing at the sky. “The stars,” he murmured,

“they never change. Not since I was a child. Not since the war. People come and go, but the stars remain.”

 His voice grew softer.

 Riko’s gaze softened as he stared into the fire.

 “You know… my friend was always the one who took me outside. I wasn’t much of an adventurer. If it weren’t for him, I would’ve spent my days cooped up at home.”

 He chuckled lightly.

 “But he never let me. Every morning, he’d show up at my door and take me on walks—not to anywhere grand, just through the city streets, the quiet forests, the mountain trails nearby.

 At first, I hated it. I didn’t understand why he was so persistent.

But little by little, those walks became something I looked forward to

 A shadow passed over his face.

  “Now, I just wander, hoping he’s still out there somewhere.”

 Strixx, who had been silent all this time, suddenly moved.

 She hesitated, then slowly—almost cautiously—placed her small hand over the traveler’s.

 “Strixx… thinks your friend is still out there,” she said softly. “Strixx… believes your friend wants to see you too.”

 I smiled.

“Yeah. And you know, it’s not too late. Once you find him, you can still go on that adventure—just like you and your friend used to talk about Riko.

 The traveler looked at us, eyes glistening with something unreadable regret, hope, maybe both. Then, he reached out, ruffling both of our heads with a laugh.

 “You might be right,” he said. “I’ve been feeling anxious for so long… but for some reason, I feel lighter now. Thank you.”

 He let out a quiet chuckle.

“They say that when you carry a burden alone, it only grows heavier—until eventually, it becomes too much to bear. But when you share it with someone, even just a little, it becomes lighter… easier to carry.”

 His gaze softened. “Thank you, Luca. Strixx. For listening to this lonely traveler’s story.”

 I looked at him and grinned. “Come on, Riko, cheer up!”

 I let out a small laugh. “That’s what I did too when I was lost.”

 Then, as if to prove my own words, I smile looking at Strixx.

 Riko stirred the flame in front of him, then spoke up.

 “Say, Luca, Strixx… you two don’t have a specific destination right now, do you?”

 I looked at Riko and nodded. “Yeah. We’re just traveling—stopping by places when we arrive, then moving on.”

“Just exploring,”

 Riko nodded. “Yes… this might be the best time for it.”

 I tilted my head. “Best time? For what?”

 Strixx looked curious too.

 Riko smiled. “As you’re crossing the Lysendrall Ranges, if you head south, you’ll reach my town—Vaeliris.”

 I perked up. “Oh, that’s right! Since it’s nearby, that might as well be our next stop.”

 Riko’s smile grew. “And it’s the perfect timing too. Around this time of year, the people of Vaeliris hold a flower festival that spreads across the entire city. And at Vaeliris Peak—the mountain just outside town—travelers and residents gather at the summit, where the heart of the festival is held.”

 His voice carried a touch of warmth as he continued.

 “During this season, the air around Vaeliris town carries the sweet scent of the Vaeliris flowers, with the breeze filling the entire city with their beautiful purple petals—a truly beautiful sight .”

 Strixx suddenly stood up, excitement clear in her voice.

 “Strixx wants to see it too!!”

 Riko chuckled softly. “I never knew Strixx had so much energy.”

 Strixx quickly sat back down, pulling her cloak over her face to hide her blush.

 Strixx quickly sat back down, pulling her cloak over her face to hide her blush.

 After a brief pause, she let out a small laugh of her own—then, seeing her like that, Riko and I laughed. And soon enough, the three of us were laughing together.

 For that night, the three of us sat by the warm fire, talking about many things while gazing up at the starry sky.

  Morning arrived.

 It was time to say goodbye.

 We stood facing each other—Riko standing on the path leading north, while Strixx and I stood on the road heading south. A gentle breeze passed between us as we exchanged our final words.

 Riko smiled. “I see my words convinced you two to go see the Vaeliris Flower Festival. I’m glad.”

 I smiled back. “Yeah. That’s our next destination. We’re glad we got to meet you, Riko.”

 Strixx nodded. “Strixx… liked the meat patty that Riko gave…

 She lowered her head slightly. “Riko… thank you for everything.”

 Riko chuckled. “I should be thanking you two as well.”

 For a moment, none of us moved. The warmth of the night we spent together still lingered, making parting feel just a little harder.

 Then, with a final smile, we turned to leave—Riko toward the north, and us toward the south.

 But just as we walked off, I turned back and called out—

 “Riko!!!”

 He stopped and glanced over his shoulder.

 “Next time we meet—introduce us to your friend!”

 Riko’s expression softened before he gave us a warm wave.

 “Sure thing!”

 And with that, we parted ways, carrying the memories and warmth of that single night.

 I glanced at Strixx and murmured,

 “So this is what a journey is…? Meeting people, getting to know them, sharing moments, and then moving forward.”

 Strixx looked up at me, her eyes shining.

 “Strixx is happy… Luca is enjoying the journey.”

 With a small smile, I looked ahead.

 And so, we took our first steps toward the Vaeliris Flower Festival—our next destination.