A Breeze Before The Storm.

We left Vaeliris Town.

It’s been a week--or maybe even more--since then. Strixx  was already missing Ms. Finecia and her cooking so much.

…Well, I miss her too.

I miss those days in Vaeliris. Even though we only stayed for about two weeks, every single day was full of warmth and fun.

Running small errands, sharing a warm meal at the end of the day, and having a place that felt like a real home--for the first time in a long while… we truly felt it.

I miss it.

We’ve been riding with Mr. Goefree, the driver from Vaeliris Transport Service. He’s a really good person--and super talented. Throughout our journey this past week, he would sing for us during our breaks.

 His voice is surprisingly good, and it always lifted the mood.

Now, as we  were approaching the checkpoint where he’ll be dropping us off, I realize… this’ll be the last night we get to hear his songs.

I think I’ll miss him too.

As night settled in, we stopped by a quiet forest along the path.

Mr. Goefree stretched his arms with a light yawn.

“Hard to believe it’s already been almost a week traveling together,” he said with a smile.

Strixx’s eyes lit up. “Strixx wants to hear Mr. Goefree song again!”

Mr. Goefree looked surprised, then laughed gently.

“You really like my songs that much?"

Strixx nodded quickly.

“They’re the best songs Strixx ever heard!”

I smiled and added, “It’s true. Your songs always make the evening feel peaceful.” He chuckled. 

“You two are too sweet.”

Then he looked toward the trees.

“So… tomorrow, we’ll reach the western checkpoint. That’s where I’ll be dropping you off, right?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Ms. Finecia told us the ocean isn’t too far from there.”

“We want to walk the rest of the way,” I said. “Travel the western lands, see what’s out there. There’s still so much of the world we haven’t seen we want to travel more and see more.

Strixx grinned.

“Yes! Strixx and Luca will go see the ocean!” Mr.

 Geofree’s smile grew soft.

“That sounds wonderful. You two remind me what traveling is really about.”

He paused for a moment, then looked at us with a warm grin.

“Alright then. For tonight… I’ll sing a song just for the two of you.”

He reached into the back of the carriage and pulled out his old lute. The wood was a little worn, but it looked well-loved.

He sat down by the fire, tuning the strings gently.

The forest was quiet. The stars peeked through the leaves. The crackle of the fire felt cozy and calm.

Then, he began to play--a soft, gentle melody.

And then, he started to sing with a warm, quiet voice.

{TRAVELLERS}

♪～ I walk along the quiet road, With sunlight dancing through the leaves. 

The sky above, so wide and blue,

It whispers all the dreams I chase~⁠♪⁠♪

 Each step I take, a story grows~♫ 

Of places I have yet to see~♪ And though the path is still unknown,

I carry hope inside of me⁠~♫

 The wind is soft, the flowers bloom♪⁠♪ The world feels gentle, warm, and new. 

And by my side, I’m not alone ~♪ A friend, a smile, a sky so true.

The mountains tall, the rivers wide, 

They sing to us as we pass by.

 We stop, we laugh, 

we breathe it in~♪

 This journey made of little things. ♪⁠～

No need to hurry, 

no need to fear, 

The road is kind when hearts are near~♪

 And every place, both far and near, 

Feels like a home~♪ when you are here~⁠♪⁠♪

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With that, we listened to Mr. Geofree’s beautiful song one last time--marking the end of our journey together in his carriage.

Strixx and I smiled the whole way through. More than anything, we truly loved that song… because this time, he sang it just for us.

The next morning, we finally reached the checkpoint to the Western lands. A small town rested near the border, quiet and peaceful, like a gentle farewell before the next chapter.

As the carriage slowed to a stop, we climbed down.

Mr. Goefree gave us a warm smile. “Strixx, Luca… take care, alright? Good luck on your journey ahead.”

Strixx and I waved as he climbed back into his seat.

“Mr. Goefree, thank you so much for bringing us all this way.”

I reached into my pouch to hand him the payment, but he smiled softly.

“I’m only taking this because I know you two won’t let me say no

“Of course we’ll insist,” I said with a small grin. “We’ve traveled a long way together, after all.”

Strixx stepped forward eagerly. “Strixx wants to hear Mr. Goefree beautiful song again someday!”

He chuckled. “Sure thing, Strixx. And Luca.” I nodded.

“Take care, Mr. Goefree. Keep singing… and keep sharing those songs with your passengers.”

“You’re a great singer,” I added with a smile. “Thank you--for making our trip so much fun… and so beautiful.”

He waved back, his voice trailing warmly as the carriage began to roll away.

“Stay safe, you two. The road’s waiting.” The carriage slowly moved off down the path.

 We stood there watching until it faded from view.

And just like that… he was gone.

After we entered the town, we started walking toward the checkpoint at the town’s exit--

But then Strixx tugged on my sleeve. “Luca… Strixx is hungry.”

I let out a small sigh. “Yeah… we haven’t had a real meal in days. 

We’ve been traveling  in  the carriage non-stop after all, for days with little to no breaks.”

“Let’s go find a place to eat.”

The town was full of life.
Positioned at the crossroads leading west, it served as a busy stop for travelers and traders alike.

 Streets bustled with carriages and footsteps, merchants called out their wares, and the scent of food drifted through the air. People moved in every direction, their voices blending into the lively hum of the town.

It was loud, crowded, and always moving--a place built for passing through.

 As we walked through the busy town, we noticed a tavern up ahead. It looked busy--lots of people inside, and most of the seats were already taken.

We stepped in, looking around for a spot.

Three men sitting at a corner table noticed us and called out.

“Hey, young boy, young girl! If you don’t mind, you can share this table with us.” Since we had nowhere else to sit, we nodded and went over.

The three of them looked friendly and relaxed.

“Are you two travelers?” one of them asked.

I gave a small nod. “Yeah, we’re passing through. We’re heading west, so we need to go past the checkpoint.”

Strixx clung to my arm, a little nervous around the strangers like always. One of the men smiled kindly.

 “We’re travelers too. We’re also going west. We came from the Great Capital.”

I looked at them curiously as they began to introduce themselves.

“I’m Bob,” said the first man. “I’m Quad,” said the second. “And I’m Louise,” said the third.

“Nice to meet you all,” I replied. “I’m Luca, and this is Strixx.”

Strixx stayed close to me, not saying anything.

Bob tilted his head. “Is she shy or something?”

I smiled a little. “She’s just not good with new people. But she’s okay once she gets used to you.”

Bob laughed. “Got it.”

 

Then he waved to the tavern staff.

“Hey! Bring some food for our new friends!” Not long after, a plate of roasted meat was placed in front of us. It smelled great. 

We thanked them and began eating while chatting about our travels and how we had come here by carriage.

Once we were done eating, Bob leaned forward a little, his tone more serious now.

 

“By the way… after the checkpoint, there’s a forest. You can’t just walk through it like any normal path. It’s protected by elf magic.” I blinked. “Elf magic Item ?”

“Yeah,” Bob said. “That forest is strange. If you don’t have a special elf-made item, or if you’re not guided by an elf, you’ll get lost in there. The paths move, and you’ll end up walking in circles forever.”

My eyes widened a little. “We… don’t have anything like that.”

Bob smiled. “Don’t worry. We do. We have an elf magic item, and we can help you get through. We’re heading the same way anyway. 

Once we cross the forest, it leads deeper into the southern lands.”

I looked at Strixx, and she looked back at me with bright eyes. I nodded with a smile.

“Really? That would help us a lot. Thank you, Bob. We’ll go around the town to pick up some supplies before we leave.”

“You leaving right now?” I asked. Bob waved it off. “No rush. Take your time. We’ll meet you at the checkpoint.”

After that, Strixx and I strolled through the town, visiting shops and gathering items we’d need for the journey ahead.

{On the other side} 

Bob and the other two were sitting together, laughing in a low, menacing way.

“He actually believed us that easily,” Bob said with a smirk. “They really are something else… too kind. Too innocent for a world like this. Hahaha.”

Louise  leaned in. “That girl with him… I noticed something. Under her cloak--those cat-like ears. She’s a demi-human, isn’t she?”

Bob grinned. 

“Yeah. I thought the same. If we take her with us, she’ll sell for a high price back in the Capital. Demi-humans are in huge demand at the slave markets these days.”

Quad looked uneasy. “And what about the boy?”

Bob leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, still smiling.

“We’ll Paralyzed him and leave him behind in the forest.

We don’t need to kill him. If he’s lucky enough maybe he’ll survive.”

They all laughed again, their voices low and cruel.

After getting the essential supplies for the journey, Strixx and I made our way toward the town’s exit. At the checkpoint, Bob and the other two guys--Quad and Louise--stood waiting for us, waving and smiling.

Bob looked at me with a grin. “Let’s go, Luca. Strixx. Time to head out.” I nodded and began walking. Strixx followed close beside me.

Before long, we reached the entrance of a forest. The trees ahead stood tall and quiet, shadows already creeping across the path. Just before stepping in, Bob turned to look at us.

“Alright, now that we’re here, be careful, okay? Strixx, Luca--stick close. It’s easy to get lost in there.”

Strixx clung to my arm tightly, and I gave a small nod.

“Got it.  We'll stay close.”With that, we all began walking into the forest.

The deeper we went, the quieter things became. The only sounds were our footsteps and the faint rustling of leaves above. After a while, I noticed something strange.

The two who had been walking behind us--Quad and Louise--were gone.

A pang of panic hit me. “Hey, Bob… where are Quad and Louise? Did they get lost?”

But Bob just laughed, his tone too light. “Sorry, brother we Caught you!

Before I could react, he jabbed something into my arm. A sharp sting shot through me. My body suddenly froze.

I couldn’t move. My muscles locked up, and I collapsed onto the ground, helpless.

Strixx looked at me and Bob with a terrified expression, her entire body going stiff. 

The moment the dart pierced my arm and I dropped to the ground, her eyes widened in shock.

“Luca…?” I tried to speak, to reach out--but my limbs wouldn’t move. My voice caught in my throat. But she was already backing away from Bob, clutching onto me in desperation, eyes flicking between my motionless body and the strangers around us.

Her breathing quickened. Panic took over.

She didn’t know what was happening--only that I had collapsed from something, and the people I trusted were turning on us.

“Luca…!” she cried again, voice trembling.  At the moment From the corners of my vision, I saw Quad and Louise reappear, springing from the trees like shadows.

 They pinned Strixx down before she could resist. One of them slapped a strange box onto her back--it opened up and morphed into ropes,  tightening around her body.

 She squirmed, trying to fight back, but the restraints dug in, forcing her still.

Her voice trembled--confused, pained. ..why?

 

Then, Before Strixx could say anything more they released a strange spore around her face. Strixx’s body went limp. She was unconscious.

Bob bent down and picked her up with ease. I lay there, paralyzed. My limbs wouldn’t respond. My voice wouldn’t come out. All I could do was watch--my vision blurred and fading--as they carried her away.

I lay there, paralyzed. My limbs wouldn’t respond. My voice wouldn’t come out. All I could do was watch--my vision blurred and fading--as they carried her away.

As Bob disappeared into the forest with Strixx’s unconscious body in his arms, something inside me snapped.

No… no--stop! Don’t take her… don’t take her away!

Move. Move, damn it. Move, you useless body!

My mind screamed, over and over, louder than anything I’d ever felt before.

Move… MOVE! Please… I’m begging you… just move!

But it wouldn’t. Just like back then.

When it mattered most--my body never listened.

How pathetic… how weak… I hate you.

I hate you for always failing me when I needed you the most!

Tears welled in my eyes, but I couldn’t even wipe them away.

All I could do was lie there, broken… and watch them taking her away.

And I couldn’t do a thing to stop them. The last thing I saw before my eyes closed… was Strixx, disappearing into the forest.