Adventure Starts Here

The road leading west was quiet.

Snow had settled thinly over the stone pavement, pressed flat by passing carts and boots. It wasn’t deep enough to slow them, but it made every step crunch softly, a steady rhythm beneath the pale winter sky.

Klen walked beside Lyra, his pace measured to hers. Marna lingered a step ahead, turning around every now and then as if she couldn’t decide whether to walk forward or backward.

“So,” Marna said, rubbing her hands together, “first stop’s Valmere. Same old place.”

Lyra nodded. “It still feels strange, going there like this.”

“Yeah,” Marna said. “No guards. No schedules. No ‘don’t touch that.’”

Klen glanced at her. “You touched everything anyway.”

Marna grinned. “Exactly. Nothing’s changed.”

They walked on for a while longer before Marna reached into her pack and pulled out the folded map. She slowed, then stopped altogether, spreading it carefully between them.

“Alright,” she said. “After Valmere.”

Lyra leaned closer, studying the markings. Klen did the same, one hand resting idly at his side.

“There’s a route that cuts through open land,” Marna said, tracing a line with her finger. “Shorter. Fewer stops.”

Lyra frowned slightly. “That might be hard in winter. Especially if the snow gets worse.”

“It will,” Klen said calmly. “And there’s less traffic. If something goes wrong, help won’t come quickly.”

Marna sighed and shifted her finger to another line. “Then this one. Longer, but it stays close to towns.”

Lyra nodded. “That sounds better.”

Klen considered it for a moment, then gave a small nod. “It’s the safer choice.”

“Alright,” Marna said, folding the map again. “Decision made.”

They continued west.

Hours passed quietly. The road widened, then narrowed again. The snow thickened in patches where the sun hadn’t touched, and the wind grew colder as the day wore on. Lyra’s steps slowed slightly, though she never complained. Klen noticed anyway, adjusting his pace without a word.

By the time the city walls came into view, the sky had dulled to a pale gray.

Valmere looked the same as ever.

Stone buildings crowded together, their roofs dusted white. Smoke curled lazily from chimneys, and the gates were busy with people coming and going, bundled in heavy clothes. Merchants shouted prices, carts rattled over stone, and the air smelled faintly of bread and burning wood.

They passed through without comment.

Inside, the city felt familiar—but different. No one paid them special attention. No bowed heads. No recognition beyond passing glances.

They found a place to sit and warm themselves, eating something hot for the first time that day. Marna relaxed almost immediately, stretching her legs and letting out a satisfied breath.

“This,” she said, “is nice.”

Lyra smiled faintly. “It is.”

Klen watched the street from where he sat, posture easy, gaze calm. He looked no different than any other traveler resting from the cold.

They spent some time walking through the streets, buying what they needed. Extra food, mostly. Things that would keep. By the time they were done, the light had begun to fade, the sky darkening slowly.

They left Valmere as dusk settled in.

The road beyond the city was quieter, the sounds of life fading behind them. Snow crunched underfoot again, the air growing colder with every step. When Lyra finally looked back, the city lights were already distant, blurred by falling snow.

“It’s getting dark,” Marna said.

Klen nodded. “We’ll stop soon.”

They found a place near the road, sheltered from the wind. Klen set up the tents while Marna gathered what little dry wood she could find. Lyra helped where she could, her fingers stiff from the cold.

Two tents stood side by side—one for Lyra and Marna, one for Klen. A small fire crackled between them, its light flickering across the snow.

They ate quietly, the warmth welcome after the long day.

Night settled in fully not long after.

The next morning came early. The cold was sharper, the sky pale and still. They ate a simple breakfast, breath fogging the air as Marna unfolded the map once more.

Lyra looked ahead, down the road stretching away from them.

This was no longer familiar ground.

Klen folded the map when they were done and secured his pack. “We move.”

They stepped back onto the road together.

And this time, there was no sense of turning back.