Moving Forward

Moving Forward

The road stretched southward, cutting through a forest that was slowly awakening from winter’s grasp.

Zio followed the narrow path without hurry.

Greyhollow had long since disappeared behind him.

Leaves brushed against one another above whenever the wind passed through the trees, pulling gently at the edge of his black cloak and stirring the hair beneath his hood. The northern air no longer carried the sharp bite of snow. In its place, a softer breeze flowed between the trunks, carrying the quiet arrival of spring.

From time to time, he adjusted the strap of the small bag resting on his shoulder before returning to the same steady pace.

The farther south he traveled, the wider the road became.

Deep wagon tracks carved through the earth. Fresh hoofprints overlapped older ones, all leading in the same direction. This road had seen far more travelers than the mountain paths of the north.

When the last light of evening began to fade, Zio gathered a few dry branches beneath the shade of a large oak tree. A small fire burned through the night, offering more warmth than light.

By dawn, only a pile of ash remained, still holding a trace of heat.

He left it behind without looking back.

The forest changed little by little as the journey continued.

Tall rows of pine trees slowly gave way to shorter woods and scattered undergrowth. Damp soil began to appear where snow had once covered the ground. Young grass pushed through the edges of the road, bending softly whenever the wind passed.

The air carried sounds he had not heard for years.

Birdsong drifted between the branches. Some disappeared almost as soon as they appeared, swallowed by the rustling leaves.

Zio looked upward.

The morning sun rested above the treetops. Its light fell gently across his face, no longer forcing him to turn away. He lowered his hood and left it open.

His pace never changed.

He did not wonder where the road would end.

He did not count how many days had passed since leaving Greyhollow.

The road continued south beneath the morning light.

Zio adjusted the strap on his shoulder once more, then kept walking.

***

The sound beneath Zio’s boots changed as he stepped onto the main road.

Packed earth gave way to worn stone, its surface smoothed by years of wagon wheels and passing hooves.

The sound of splintering wood drifted from ahead, carried by the wind.

Zio lifted his head.

A cargo wagon sat tilted at the edge of the road.

One of its wheels had broken. Several wooden crates and sacks lay scattered across the ground, their contents spilling across part of the path.

Beside the wagon, two men struggled to fix the problem. A middle-aged man held the side of the wagon with both hands, the veins in his neck tightening as he carried the weight. A younger man helped for a moment before letting go with a tired breath.

“Looks like we’ll have to unload everything from the wagon.”

“But that’ll take too long. There’s too much cargo.”

The older man turned when Zio came within a few steps.

“Hey, kid.”

“Could you help us for a moment?”

Zio approached. His gaze moved from the scattered crates to the broken wheel.

“Help us unload the cargo.”

“Why does it need to be unloaded?”

“We need to replace the wheel. With the wagon this heavy, we can’t even lift it properly.”

Zio looked at the wagon for a moment.

Then he placed both hands against its side.

The wagon rose.

The middle-aged man’s eyes widened.

“Thomas! Get the spare wheel and the support blocks!”

Thomas immediately ran to retrieve them. He returned moments later and pushed the wooden blocks beneath the axle.

“Hold it there.”

The blocks locked the wagon in place.

The broken wheel was removed and replaced with a new one.

Once everything was secured, Thomas pulled the support blocks away.

The wagon lowered slowly until it rested on its new wheel.

The middle-aged man straightened his back and released a long breath.

“Thank goodness...”

A relieved smile appeared beneath his beard.

“Thank you.”

Thomas brushed the dust from his palms, letting out a quiet laugh.

“If you hadn’t come by, we might have been stuck here for hours.”

Zio gave a small nod.

“Where are you heading?” Thomas asked.

“Ravenhold.”

Thomas raised his eyebrows.

“On foot?”

“Yes.”

Thomas let out a low whistle.

“If you’re walking, you’ll probably arrive tomorrow at the earliest.”

Before Zio could answer, the older man clapped his hands once.

“Enough talking for now.”

He bent down and picked up one of the fallen crates.

“Let’s get everything loaded before sunset.”

Thomas lifted the nearest crate. His uncle picked up another. When they reached a larger one, they carried it together.

Meanwhile, Zio carried one crate by himself.

Then another.

And another.

Thomas slowed his steps briefly, glancing toward Zio before quietly returning to work.

Not long after, all the cargo had been arranged neatly back onto the wagon.

Thomas tightened the final rope securing the load before turning to his uncle.

“He’s heading to the same place as us.”

The older man looked toward Zio.

“If you don’t mind sitting in the back, you can come with us.”

Zio remained silent for a moment.

“Thank you.”

He climbed onto the back of the wagon and rested his back against one of the crates.

Thomas gave a faint smile.

Soon after, the two horses pulled against the reins.

The wagon moved south at a steady pace.

The wooden floor creaked softly beneath the shifting weight of the cargo. Hooves struck the stone road in a steady rhythm, followed by the low rumble of iron-rimmed wheels turning without pause.

For a while, no one spoke.

Thomas broke the silence.

“So...”

He glanced over his shoulder.

“What’s your name?”

“Zio.”

“I’m Thomas.” He pointed a thumb toward the front of the wagon. “And that’s my uncle, Albert.”

Albert let out a quiet grunt without turning around.

A faint smile appeared on Thomas’s face.

The wagon continued onward.

Fields stretched along both sides of the road, occasionally broken by clusters of trees swaying gently beneath the afternoon wind.

Thomas leaned his back against one of the crates.

“So, where are you from?”

“The north.”

Thomas tilted his head, searching his memory.

“If I remember correctly, the villages in the north are pretty far from here.”

Zio gave a single nod.

Thomas let out a low whistle.

“Then you’ve traveled a long way.”

He folded both hands behind his head.

“Traveling alone?”

“Yes.”

Thomas watched him for a moment.

Then he let out a quiet laugh.

“You’re not the talkative type, are you?”

Zio met his gaze.

“No.”

“Good.” Thomas smiled. “I have enough words for the both of us.”

Albert slowly shook his head.

“Ever since you were young, your words have been enough for ten people.”

Thomas laughed softly.

The wagon continued rolling south, their conversation blending with the quiet hum of wheels turning across the aged stone road.

***

The sun slowly descended.

Golden light spilled across the rows of stone walls rising beyond the fields.

Their surfaces had been worn by years of wind and rain, yet they remained standing, forming the boundary between the open road and the city beyond.

An open gate could be seen in the distance. Wagons creaked past from the opposite direction. Merchants guided their pack horses along the roadside. Travelers moved together within the flow of people entering and leaving.

The wagon slowed as it joined the line before the gate.

Two guards approached.

One inspected the cargo while the other exchanged a few words with Albert before giving a nod and allowing them through.

The wagon wheels rumbled beneath the stone archway.

A brief shade of coolness covered them as they passed beneath the gate.

Then the city unfolded before them.

Stone buildings stood tightly packed along the main road. Narrow streets branched between rows of shops and houses, disappearing deeper into the city.

Footsteps echoed across the stone pavement. Voices overlapped from both sides of the street. Somewhere in the distance, the sound of metal striking metal rang through the air.

Open shutters slowly began closing as the day came to an end.

Zio remained seated at the back of the wagon.

His gaze moved from one unfamiliar street to another.

The sounds came from every direction.

Without realizing it, his hand rose. His fingertips touched his temple.

Thomas glanced toward him.

Zio lowered his hand.

The wagon continued deeper into Ravenhold.

***

They stopped beside a large warehouse.

Albert stepped down first and began unfastening the ropes securing the cargo. Thomas and Zio followed shortly after.

Several workers waiting near the entrance immediately approached. One by one, they began unloading the crates from the wagon.

Zio watched for a moment.

Then he joined them.

The workers moved in and out of the warehouse, carrying the cargo inside. A few of them glanced at Zio as he passed.

Then they looked again, as if making sure they had seen correctly.

When the final crate was placed inside, the wagon was completely empty.

Thomas brushed the dust from his hands before rubbing the back of his neck.

“So... where are you heading after this?”

Zio fell silent.

His gaze shifted toward the road beyond the warehouse.

For a moment, he gave no answer.

Thomas let out a quiet breath.

“If you don’t have a place to stay yet, come with me. I think there should still be an empty room at my family’s inn.”

Zio turned toward him.

He gave a small nod.

“Thank you.”

Albert leaned against the warehouse doorway.

“Thank you, both of you.”

His gaze then shifted toward Thomas.

“And don’t be late tomorrow.”

“Got it, Uncle.”

Thomas picked up his bag.

Zio slung his own bag over his shoulder.

Together, they left the warehouse and walked toward the main road.

***

The inn stood quietly among the surrounding buildings.

Its stone walls had darkened with age. Thick wooden beams supported the second floor above. Beside the entrance, an old sign hung with the name *Halvor* carved into it, the paint faded after years of rain and harsh winter winds.

Thomas pushed the door open.

Warm air flowed outside, carrying the faint scent of food and burning wood.

Zio stepped inside. The soft glow of hanging lamps in the main room slowly filled his vision.

Behind the counter, a middle-aged woman looked up.

A small smile appeared on her face.

“Welcome.”

Thomas returned the smile.

The woman’s gaze shifted toward Zio.

“Your friend?”

Thomas nodded.

“He’ll be staying for the night.”

The woman gave Zio a friendly nod.

Zio returned it quietly.

“Sit down,” Thomas said. “I’ll get you some food and something to drink.”

Zio chose an empty table near the wall.

The wooden chair creaked softly as he sat down.

Around the inn, quiet conversations flowed between the tables. Cups touched wooden surfaces with soft clinks. Footsteps crossed the floorboards before fading away again.

Outside, the last light of the sun disappeared beyond the rooftops.

Street lamps began to glow one by one. Curtains closed across the windows. The sounds beyond the walls slowly faded, replaced by the quiet presence of the city settling into night.

***

The room was quiet, filled only by the soft sound of pages turning.

A young elf girl sat on her bed beside the window, an open book resting in her hands. Moonlight slipped through the glass, falling gently across the pages before her.

Footsteps approached from the hallway.

Two firm knocks broke the silence.

“Nyssa, are you inside?”

She did not answer.

Her eyes remained fixed on the page.

Perhaps whoever had come would leave.

But the footsteps remained in front of the door.

“Don’t pretend to be asleep. The dormitory head wants to see you.”

A quiet sigh escaped her lips.

Nyssa closed the book and placed it beside her.

Then she stood.

Her fingers smoothed the folds of her academy robe before lightly touching the sleeve.

“Why is it always me...” she murmured.

With one final glance toward the book on her bed, she walked to the door.

***

The wind slipped through the open window.

An oil lamp beside the bed cast a dim glow across the room. Its flame swayed gently with the passing night air.

Zio lay on his back, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

Beyond the walls, the sounds of the city slowly faded. Footsteps grew distant as people disappeared into quieter streets.

The wheels of a passing wagon rumbled farther away before being swallowed by the night.

Silence settled over Ravenhold.

Zio released a slow breath.

His gaze shifted toward the corner of the room.

Resting atop a small cabinet, his sword lay in silence.

For a while, his eyes remained there.