Nyx sat inside the Starbound Dray, her body swaying gently with the motion of the enchanted cart. The faint glow of the silver runes along its frame pulsed softly, a quiet rhythm that matched the steady clatter of hooves against the dirt road. The air inside was warm, carrying the scent of old parchment, polished wood, and something faintly metallic—magic, woven into the very structure of the dray.
She didn’t ask where they were going. She didn’t care.
The rider, a hooded man with a weathered voice, continued onward without a word. Yet, the silence wasn’t empty.
A tune drifted through the air, low and unhurried, humming from deep within the man’s chest. (Tune similar to “London Bridge Is Falling Down”)
Nyx’s gaze, hidden behind her veil, remained fixed on the passing trees outside. The melody wrapped around her like a slow-moving current, tugging at something deep inside her. It wasn’t unpleasant—just strangely familiar.
Her eyelids grew heavy. The fatigue of walking for days, of loss, of everything she refused to think about, settled into her bones. The song rocked her, like gentle waves against the shore.
Softly, softly… fall asleep.
Uriel’s voice stirred in her mind, distant but watchful. “This melody… it lingers where forgotten things dwell.”
After a short nap, Nyx was stirred awake by the sharp neighing of the horses. Her eyelids fluttered open as the gentle swaying of the Starbound Dray came to a slow halt. Blinking away sleep, she turned to the window, and what she saw stole her breath away.
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Blinking the haze from her eyes, she turned to the window—and what she saw stole the breath from her lungs.
Stretching far beyond the rolling hills was a kingdom unlike any she had ever seen. Towering trees with silver-lined leaves shimmered under the golden sunlight, their branches intertwining to form natural archways over the pristine white stone paths. Cascading waterfalls wove through the city, their crystalline waters catching the light in a dazzling display. Buildings, seamlessly blended into the landscape, were adorned with intricate carvings that pulsed faintly with magic. The air itself felt different—lighter, fresher, as if imbued with the very essence of life.
She was in Alinthor, the kingdom of elves.
Nyx barely had time to take it all in when the rider pulled the reins, bringing the carriage to a smooth halt. He turned in his seat, his sharp blue eyes crinkling with amusement at her stunned expression.
“Well, here we are. This is our final stop,” he said, his voice warm but firm.
Nyx quickly climbed out of the carriage, still drinking in the scenery, the sheer beauty of it leaving her momentarily speechless. She turned to the rider, words of gratitude on her tongue, but before she could speak, he placed a hand over his heart and gave a slight tilt of his head—a respectful, almost old-fashioned gesture.
“Welcome to the beautiful land of Alinthor,” he said with a warm smile.
Then, without another word, he flicked the reins, guiding the Starbound Dray forward. The ethereal horses neighed softly as the carriage began to move, its glowing wheels whispering against the stone road.
Nyx had only heard whispers of it before, carried by traders and travelers back in the village, not paying keen attention since she didn’t have any interest in it in any sorts.
But seeing it with her own eyes was something else entirely. The air felt different here—crisp, yet laced with something old and powerful. A faint, floral fragrance drifted on the wind, mixed with the cool scent of moss and earth.
Nyx stood there, her hands tightening slightly at her sides. She had been traveling south with no real destination in mind, and now she was here.
Was this fate? Or just another stop along the road?
She was truly in a new land now.
She exhaled, adjusting the veil over her eyes. And for the first time in a long while… she wasn’t sure what awaited her next.