Lukius glanced back at the group as they trudged along the forest path, the sun low in the sky. The trees around them began to thin, giving way to the vast plains. The tension from the previous battle still hung in the air, but the urgency of their journey kept everyone moving.

“Hey, kid, where’s the boss, anyway?” Vidar called out from the back of the group, his voice carrying over the sounds of their footsteps on the forest floor.

“She said she’ll join us later.” Niall replied, walking alongside Syviis, casually carving a small figure from a piece of wood with his dagger.

“Hmmm… so where exactly are we headed?” Zara asked, her eyes scanning the trees around them, as if expecting something hidden in the shadows.

"One of ours is currently in Ilythyrra." Syviis responded, her tone casual but focused.

“We also need to warn the guild about the fact that those slavers slipped through our fingers.” Lukius added from the front, walking alongside Sylleth, his gaze fixed ahead as they made their way through the forest.

"Ilythyrra?" Sylleth asked, turning his gaze toward Lukius, uncertainty flickering in his eyes.

"The elven capital." Lukius replied, his voice steady. "Biggest city on the continent."

“The capital… of the elves?” Sylleth mumbled under his breath, his voice barely audible.

“You’re an elf, right? Surely you’ve been there plenty of times.” Niall commented, not even bothering to look up from his carving, his tone casual.

“No... I’ve never left my hometown before…” Sylleth admitted, his expression growing more somber as he spoke, the weight of that realization sinking in.

"Wait... never ever?" Syviis asked, her brows raised in surprise.

"...Yeah, never ever." Sylleth responded, his expression downcast, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Well, now's your chance!" Vidar shouted from the back, his booming voice carrying through the trees as he tried to lift the boy's spirits. "First time for everything!"

Sylleth managed a small smile at Vidar's encouragement, though the uncertainty still lingered in his eyes as he glanced toward the distant horizon.

In the distance, atop a hill surrounded by dense tropical forest, two large carriages appeared, each pulled by massive horses with glossy, dark coats.

“What’s that?” Zara asked, jogging up to the front of the group, her eyes lighting up with curiosity.

“Our ride.” Niall replied with a smirk, flicking a thumb in the direction of the carriages.

As they approached the carriages, Sylleth began to notice more details, the intricate emblems carved into their sides, and a crest depicting a butterfly delicately perched on a winding vine.

“What is it…?” He asked, curiosity lighting up his face.

“Those are the emblems of Ilythyrra.” Lukius explained, glancing back at him.

“Elves are snobs.” Niall added with a smirk, tossing his carving up in the air and catching it with practiced ease. “They like to flaunt their status, so they slap their symbols on everything they can.”

“If Corym heard you, he’d probably knock you out cold.” Came a raspy, amused voice from inside the larger carriage, around which the group was gathered.

“Oh, he knows I’m right. He’d just grumble about it." Niall shot back with a grin, lowering his dagger as he turned to face the speaker.

A man emerged from the front of the wagon, cloaked in a long, black leather coat fastened at his neck and trailing down to his calves. His dark hair, long and loose, billowed in the wind, occasionally falling across his face and partially obscuring his deep, jet-black eyes. The shadowed look, combined with his half-smirk, gave him an air of confident indifference.

"...And who are you?" Zara asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

“Maybe I should be asking you that, who are you?” The man replied, jumping down from the carriage to the thick, grassy ground with an easy grace.

“We took them from slavers.” Syviis explained, stepping toward the wagon.

“Is that so?” He murmured, his eyes scanning the group thoughtfully. “And what about Siffy?”

“She’ll join us later.” Lukius answered, sounding slightly irritated by the way he adressed her.

“This time you’d be the one getting a smack if she were here.” Niall added with a smirk, the jab light but teasing.

“Oh, she loves when I talk to her like that... doesn’t she, beardy?” The man teased with a sly smile, turning toward the bearded warrior.

“Call me that one more time, and you’ll be fertilizer for your beloved weeds.” Vidar warned, his tone dripping with menace as he glared at him.

“Oh, I forgot just how terrifying you are!” The man grinned, clearly amused, though he tried to mask it with a nonchalant expression.

“Ugh!” Vidar huffed, turning his back on him and striding over to the second wagon without another glance.

"Lirian, stop antagonizing him." Lukius said, packing some of their gear into the larger wagon.

“Oh, but why…? His reactions are so amusing…” Lirian replied with a feigned pout, brushing a lock of hair off his forehead with exaggerated drama.

“I’LL SHOW YOU AMUSING!” Vidar bellowed from across the clearing, hurling an axe in Lirian’s direction.

“Are you insane?!” Lirian yelped, ducking just in time as the axe narrowly missed him, embedding itself with a thunk in a nearby tree.

Zara leaned in close to Sylleth’s ear, her voice barely above a whisper. “I have a feeling that by the time we reach the capital, someone is going to lose their head.” She said, her ears twitching in anticipation.

“I’d love to disagree with you… but you might be right.” Sylleth replied, keeping his voice low, his eyes darting between the others.

“Yeah, I think so too.” Niall chimed in, still focused on his wood carving. “They’re bound to end up tearing each other apart at this rate.” He looked up briefly, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “And I wouldn’t want to miss it!”

Zara giggled at the thought, while Sylleth couldn’t help but chuckle nervously, the tension of the situation mingling with a sense of camaraderie among them.

Vidar grabbed another axe and charged toward Lirian, a wild grin spreading across his face.

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“You are crazy!” Lirian shouted, his voice a mix of fear and laughter as he bolted away from the bearded warrior.

“Vidar, leave him alone!” Syviis yelled, rushing after the two men, her expression a mix of amusement and exasperation.

“Honestly, they’re acting like children…” Lukius remarked, shaking his head in disappointment as he watched the trio of grown adults racing around the clearing with axes in hands.

“And I’m the youngest one here?” Niall quipped, leaping onto one of the carriages with a cheeky grin.

Zara and Sylleth quickly followed him, their eyes bright with curiosity as they turned to watch the chaotic race unfolding behind the wagon.

“Look at them go!” Zara exclaimed, clapping her hands in excitement as she leaned over the edge, eager to catch a better view.

“Do you really think they’ll hurt each other?” Sylleth asked, peeking cautiously over the edge of the wagon.

“No, not unless Vidar catches him.” Niall chuckled, settling down beside Sylleth.

“Why is he so mad, anyway?” The boy inquired, his brow furrowed with curiosity.

“Well, Lirian is half-elf, and Vidar is half-dwarf… that pretty much explains it.” Niall replied with a grin, focusing back on his carving. The piece of wood was beginning to take the shape of a small fox, its features becoming more defined with each careful cut of his dagger.

Sylleth raised an eyebrow. “Is that really a thing? The whole elf and dwarf rivalry?”

“Absolutely!” Niall laughed, shaking his head. “It’s like oil and water, two totally different worlds clashing. You’ve got the elegance of the elves against the stubborn strength of dwarves. They can’t help but rub each other the wrong way.”

“Do they do this often?” Zara asked, an amused eyebrow raised as she watched the chaos unfold.

“Think about it, why else would we need two carriages?” Niall laughed, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

After a moment, Lukius stepped into the wagon, placing a heavy bag down on the floor with a sigh.

“When they finally tire themselves out, we’ll get moving." He said, his voice tinged with exhaustion.

After a few more moments of playful chaos, Lirian finally managed to evade Vidar's relentless pursuit. Breathing heavily, he slid to a stop, hands on his knees, a grin plastered across his face.

“Alright, that’s enough! I can’t take it anymore!” Lirian gasped, wiping sweat from his brow.

“You’re lucky...” Vidar panted, collapsing to his knees beside him. “...if it weren’t for my knee aching all day, I would’ve skinned you alive.” He huffed, trying to catch his breath.

“Oh, you poor thing… you said the same thing last time too.” The man laughed, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Shut it.” Vidar replied, a grin breaking through his feigned annoyance as he dropped onto the ground, sprawled out like a beached whale.

“Hey, girlies! Have you two had enough fun yet?” Niall called out playfully, leaning his head out of the wagon with a mischievous grin.

“Shut up, you too!” Vidar shot back, his voice muffled as he kept his face pressed into the grass, clearly too exhausted to move.

Lirian couldn't help but laugh, turning around and plopping down beside Vidar, the mirth in his eyes matching the lightness of the moment.

As the last echoes of laughter faded, the group gradually settled into a more purposeful rhythm. Vidar and Lirian picked themselves up from the ground, still catching their breath but sporting satisfied grins. With a collective sense of readiness, they moved toward the carriages, eager to start the next leg of their journey.

“Alright, let’s get moving before they change their minds and start Round Two.” Lukius said, taking a seat at the front of the wagon.

“Do you realize they’ll probably be fighting the whole way to the capital?” Niall chimed in, sprawling out on one of the leather benches.

“At least it’ll keep their minds occupied and provide us with some entertainment.” Lukius replied, glancing back at the chaotic scene behind them. “We’ll need the distraction, considering what awaits us.”

He paused, looking for Lirian, who was still standing at the edge of the wagon, eyeing the commotion with a mix of amusement and apprehension. “Come on, Lirian! Get in here before Vidar throws another axe.”

“I’m coming, and you better not give him any new ideas!” Lirian shouted as he sprinted toward the wagon.

“What do you mean, ‘considering what awaits us’? What’s ahead?!” Zara asked, her tail flicking with curiosity.

“Bandits... wild beasts, ambushes, maybe a suicidal mage, you name it.” Niall listed off, counting on his fingers as if it were an ordinary checklist.

“Suicidal mage?!” Sylleth exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear.

“Yeah, you know, the kind that looks like a helpless civilian. You pull them into the wagon, and then... boom!” Niall laughed, mimicking an explosion with his hands.

“Not funny, Niall!” Zara exclaimed, her eyes wide with alarm.

Lukius rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the smirk that crept onto his face. “You really think that’s how it goes? You’re making it sound like a bad tavern tale.”

“I indeed heard that story in a tavern.” The boy admitted, swinging his legs casually.

Finally, Lirian climbed into the wagon, brushing bits of grass off his black pants before settling down beside Sylleth with a sigh.

"Alright then, let’s get moving." Lukius announced, pulling the reins and giving a quick signal to Syviis, who sat at the front of the second wagon.

"How long until we reach Ilythyrra?" Zara asked, settling into her seat to the right of Sylleth.

"Around seven hours... unless something or someone decides to slow us down." Niall replied, casting a sidelong glance at Lirian.

"Hey, it's not my fault beardy got it out for me." Lirian shot back, crossing one leg over the other

After a moment, Lirian glanced over at Sylleth, his gaze sharp and assessing.

"You're an elf, right?" He asked, his eyes flicking to the boy’s pointed ears.

"Uh... yes." Sylleth replied, sounding a bit awkward.

Lirian smiled warmly and extended a hand toward him.

"I'm Lirian, good to meet you." His grin was genuine, a mix of friendliness and a touch of mischief.

"I'm Sylleth... nice to meet you too." The boy replied, giving Lirian's hand a gentle shake.

As the wheels began to roll, the forest slowly shifted from dense woods to scattered clusters of trees, and eventually, to the open plains that stretched toward Ilythyrra. Hours passed in lively banter, minor squabbles, and stretches of comfortable silence as they pressed onward.

----------------------------------------

Halfway to the capital, the sun hung high, casting reddish rays across the vast expanse of fields and hills. The group settled into a relaxed rhythm as the terrain grew less rugged. Sylleth, Zara, and Niall leaned out to watch the landscape sweep by, admiring the lush fields that hinted at the fertile lands near the elven capital.

“So, what’s going to happen to us when we finally reach Ilythyrra?” Sylleth asked, glancing out at the sweeping landscape rolling by outside the wagon.

“That really depends on what the guild decides.” Lirian replied, pulling a small pouch from his bag and tossing it lightly in his hand. “They’re the ones in charge around here.”

“What exactly is this guild, anyway?” Sylleth pressed, his curiosity piqued.

“You’re from Elandor, right? Think of it like your councils back home.” Niall replied, focused on his carving, his fingers deftly shaping the wood. “They’re the ones who make decisions for all the adventurers and mercenaries in the area. Not exactly a democracy, but they’ve got their own rules.”

"Sounds... complicated?" Zara chimed in, still leaning over the back of the wagon, her eyes darting to the landscape rushing by.

"But it's really not that bad! Just don't get on their bad side, and you can pretty much do what you want." Lirian said, pulling out a handful of small blue seeds from his pouch. He examined them with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Well, if you don’t like their decisions, you can always go higher... to the royal family of Ilythyrra or Lunareth." Niall said with a casual shrug.

"What’s that?" Zara asked, her curiosity piqued as she leaned closer to examine the seeds in Lirian's hand.

"These are Amaryllis seeds. Dried, they're good for channeling mana." Lirian replied, plucking one from the pouch and popping it into his mouth with a nonchalant grin.

"I don’t know how you can eat that bitter stuff..." Niall teased, wrinkling his nose in distaste.

"Once you get used to it, it’s not so bad." Lirian replied with a grin, crunching down on the seed. “Besides, it’s good for you. A little bit of bitterness never hurt anyone.”

Suddenly, Lukius burst into the wagon, his presence commanding immediate attention.

“Ilythyrra is just on the horizon!” he announced, his tired voice laced with excitement.

“Oh, finally!” Niall exclaimed to himself, jumping up from his seat. “I was beginning to think we’d never get here!”

Zara leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. “Really? It’s that close?”

Lukius nodded, a hint of a smile breaking through his fatigue. “Just a few more hills, and we’ll be there. Prepare yourselves, the capital is even more stunning than you'd think!"

Lukius drew back the curtain, revealing to the heroes a sweeping vista of rolling hills draped in dense tropical forests. Here and there, towering spires rose majestically, their walls crafted from shimmering white marble, while their roofs were artfully woven from vibrant green leaves.

A kaleidoscope of colorful birds flitted between the towers, their bright plumage adding a touch of magic to the already enchanting landscape.

Their cheerful songs filled the air, creating a symphony that resonated throughout the entire landscape. Sylleth stood frozen in place, utterly captivated; the beauty of this place took his breath away.

"Do you like it?" Niall asked, a grin spreading across his face.

"It's... beautiful here..." Sylleth stammered, his eyes wide with awe as he took in the vibrant scenery.

"Indeed, my friend." Lirian chimed in, his voice rich with pride. "Welcome to Ilythyrra, the capital of all elves. Here, magic flows through the air like a gentle breeze, and the beauty of nature intertwines with our very essence."

As they stood there, surrounded by the lush greenery and the majestic spires, Sylleth felt a sense of belonging wash over him, igniting a spark of hope and adventure within his heart.