The Road Beckons

The town of Dawnstead faded behind him as Neo walked the uneven dirt road. The morning sun hung low in the sky, its warmth chasing away the chill of the night.

His pack felt heavier than usual—not from the weight of supplies, but from the emotions lingering in his chest.

"Four days. That's how long I stayed. And now it's over."

He adjusted the straps of his bag and glanced down at the bread Lena had given him.

"Perfect for some..." he thought, smiling faintly at her words.

But his smile faded quickly.

The Radiant Order was still out there, watching, waiting. He knew leaving Dawnstead was the only way to keep the village—and Lena—safe.

A Brief Stop

The forest stretched endlessly before him, its canopy creating dappled patterns of light and shadow on the ground.

Neo's steps slowed as he spotted a small clearing off the path. A lone stump sat in the middle, perfect for resting.

Setting down his bag, he pulled out his journal. He flipped to a blank page and paused.

"What should I write about today?"

He stared at the page, his mind drifting back to the events of the past week.

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• The reset.

• Lena's struggle for purpose.

• The Radiant Order's growing presence.

"The more I see, the more questions I have," he thought, pressing the pen to the page.

Journal Entry:

"The world is vast, yet it feels like the Order's shadow touches everything. But what lies beyond their reach? What truths are still hidden?"

Rumors of Kurogane

After resting, Neo continued on the road. By midday, he reached a small waystation—a place where merchants and travelers gathered to rest.

The air was thick with the sounds of clinking mugs and murmured conversations.

Neo slipped into the shadows, blending in as he listened.

• A merchant grumbled about the Radiant Order tightening its control on trade routes.

• A traveler whispered about a city of wealth and indulgence—where even the Radiant Order cannot enforce its will.

Neo couldn't resist stepping closer to the last speaker.

"Excuse me," Neo said, interrupting the traveler. "Did you say there's a city where the Order has no power?"

The traveler glanced at him suspiciously before shrugging. "Yeah. It's called 'Kurogane.' You wouldn't believe it unless you saw it. Streets lined with gold, endless food and drink, gambling halls that never close... It's paradise if you've got coin."

Neo raised an eyebrow. "And the Order? They don't interfere?"

The traveler smirked. "They can visit, sure. But they're not allowed to enforce their laws. Kurogane doesn't answer to them—it answers to itself."

"Kurogane..." Neo repeated, scribbling the name into his journal. "Where is it?"

The traveler gestured eastward. "It's a long journey, but be warned...it's not safe for everyone. The rich thrive, but the poor? They're forgotten. If you're not careful, you'll be swallowed up before you know it."

Neo tilted his head. "What do you mean, swallowed up?"

The traveler snorted. "Kurogane doesn't care who you are. It only cares about money and power. If you don't have either, you'll be chewed up and spit out."

A grizzled older man nearby suddenly laughed, drawing attention. "He's right, kid. I knew a man...sharp, clever, thought he could play their games. He made a single wrong bet, and he disappeared the next day."

Neo frowned. "Disappeared?"

The older man gave a slow nod. "Vanished. No one speaks his name. His debts weren't even that big. Kurogane keeps its own order, but it's not the kind you'd like to test."

Neo felt a small chill creep down his spine.

"A city even the Order fears, yet something worse lurks beneath its surface."

The Pull of Kurogane

Neo sat alone at a corner table in the waystation, flipping back through his journal.

"Kurogane. A city of luxury and chaos. A place where the Order has no control. But what makes it untouchable?"

His curiosity burned brighter with every word he had written.

"If the Radiant Order avoids it, maybe it's exactly the kind of place I need to visit. Somewhere with answers they don't want us to find."

But now, another thought settled into his mind.

"If Kurogane doesn't follow the Order, then what does it follow?"

He stared at the journal for a moment longer before closing it.

"I need to be ready for anything."

He tightened his grip on his bag.

"Kurogane... it's as good a place as any to start."