There wasn’t much time to rest. After Bram’s arrival, the group packed up their belongings and set out toward the city gates. The sun dipped behind the hills to the west, painting the sky in stunning hues of orange, pink, red, and blue. Colin couldn’t help but admire the shifting colors, a rare moment of peace before their journey began.

Up ahead, Kae and Lyra exchanged lighthearted chatter while Bram led the group with his steady, confident gait. Nectarine and Sskarin walked silently behind Colin, their presence calm but reassuring. Colin’s heart raced with anticipation—his first mission had come quicker than he anticipated. For the first time, he felt part of a team, surrounded by people he could (mostly) call friends.

Excitement buzzed through him, mingling with a hint of fear. He still didn’t fully understand how he had ended up in this world, but he wasn’t complaining. The thought of his previous life was hazy at best—a blurry wall of memories blocking his attempts to recall anything. He vaguely remembered heading to work... but nothing beyond that.

Lost in thought, Colin accidentally bumped into Lyra, jolting himself back to the present.

“Oh! Sorry, Lyra. Really, I’m super sorry,” he stammered, blushing as she turned to him with an exaggeratedly grumpy expression.

“It’s fine, I guess. But you owe me now,” she teased, her lips curling into a mischievous grin. She couldn’t hold the act for long and burst into a giggle. “Just kidding. You okay?”

“Yeah,” Colin replied, scratching the back of his head. “I was just thinking about how I got here and how fast everything’s been happening.”

“Well, I’m sure it all feels like a whirlwind for a country bumpkin like you,” she quipped with a mock salute. “Don’t worry—we’ll take care of you.” Turning back, she rejoined the conversation with the caravan leader.

Colin shook off his embarrassment and decided to pay attention to the man addressing the group.

“My name’s Grayne,” the caravan leader began. He was tall and broad, with dark skin and equally dark hair, but his striking orange eyes immediately drew Colin’s attention. They had cat-like slits, much like Lyra’s, and his pointed ears hinted at something otherworldly.

“This is my caravan,” Grayne continued, his voice commanding. “And you’ll follow my rules. We travel by night and rest during the day in shifts. No one looks in the wagons without my permission. If you understand and still want to get paid, we leave in ten minutes. If not, stay here.”

Short and to the point. Colin couldn’t help but feel the man was a bit on edge, but he set the thought aside as he moved toward Bram, who was muttering to Kae.

“-ght. ‘E’s beggin’ t’ get raided, Kae. This’ll be a dangerous trip,” Bram finished, his tone gruff. Kae noticed Colin approaching and gave him a hard stare before walking off to speak with Grayne.

“Hey, Bram,” Colin began hesitantly. “I’m new to this whole adventuring thing, but... those rules don’t sound normal for a caravan mission.”

“Ye’d be right, boy,” Bram replied, stroking his braided beard thoughtfully. The rings and beads adorning it caught the quickly fading sunlight, briefly distracting Colin. “Night’s a dangerous time on these roads. Mercs, thieves, beasties, ghoulies—you name it. Not t’ mention whatever else lurks in the dark.”

Bram sighed, his expression heavy. “T’ be honest wit’ ya, boy, I’m not sure I trust this Grayne feller much. Stick close t’ the group and don’t wander too far. Sskarin says ye’ve got potential as a warrior, but ye’ll have t’ stay alive t’ see that future.”

Colin swallowed hard as Bram slapped his back reassuringly. Despite Bram’s larger-than-life personality, Colin was reminded of how short the man actually was—barely reaching Colin’s chest.

“Don’tcha worry, lad,” Bram said with a wink. “We’ll keep ye’ safe. Even Kae, despite how he’s been actin’. He’s wary o’ newcomers—comes with the blue skin, I reckon.” Bram chuckled before continuing. “I’m off t’ tell Grayne we’re on board. Can’t miss out on a payday, eh?”

As Bram walked away, Colin mulled over his words. “Comes with the blue skin.” He had figured Kae wasn’t human—or at least not a typical one—but he hadn’t given it much thought until now.

“Whatcha thinkin’ about, Colin?” Lyra’s voice startled him. She was suddenly beside him, peering up with curiosity.

“Oh, uh...” He cleared his throat. “What race is Kae, exactly? I mean, he’s blue. We don’t have... blue people where I’m from. Bram said something that made me think his attitude’s tied to his, uh, blue-ness.”

“Oh, he’s a Frosk,” Lyra explained casually. “They’re northerners. Live in the snow, good with ice magic, train Drakes—stuff like that. They’re grumpy, though. Solitude for the last 400 years’ll do that to a people.”

Frosk. Got it, Colin thought.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“Drakes, huh? Do you think Kae ever—”

“Probably not,” Lyra interrupted. “Only elites get to do that stuff. Kae’s... kind of an outcast. That’s why he’s here. He told me he wasn’t allow—”

She was cut off by a blue hand clamping over her mouth. Kae had appeared behind her, scowling.

“I’d thank you to stop talking about me to the newbie,” Kae growled. “If I thought it was important for him to know, I’d tell him myself.”

Lyra mumbled something into his hand. Kae’s expression shifted to disgust as he quickly pulled his hand away.

“Did... Did you just lick me?” he demanded.

“Yep,” Lyra replied smugly.

“Why?”

“Didn’t want your hand on my face anymore.”

Kae stared at her, dumbfounded, before muttering, “...Fair enough. But stop telling him about me.”

“Okay,” she said with a grin, entirely unapologetic.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The first night passed quickly. Not long after the incident between Kae and Lyra, Grayne barked out orders, which the group obeyed promptly. They set out along the road, heading southwest to Colin's best approximation.

To pass the time, Colin chatted with Nectarine and Lyra. Both were surprisingly talkative despite the tense atmosphere. Their conversations meandered between the fabricated life Colin had concocted for himself and the local goings-on in the city, making vague plans for what they might do after the mission.

In his story, Colin was from a poor farming community. His family had used their last savings to send him away in hopes of finding success. But before he left, a raid destroyed the village, leaving no survivors. It was a cover story he hoped would hold up—hard to confirm, but just as hard to disprove, given the lack of witnesses. He clung to the tale until his memories of his old life returned.

“—best chicken. You have to try it, Colin!” Lyra exclaimed, her excitement breaking his train of thought.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, definitely! My treat when we get back,” Colin replied with a grin. It had been a long time since he felt this kind of camaraderie. The closest he could remember were the survival hikes he went on back in the scouts.

“Treating us to dinner, eh? When did you get so polite?” Lyra teased, smirking.

“Oh, stop it, Lyra. It’s only been a couple of days since we found him, and he’s done a swell job of being a decent person,” Nectarine chimed in with a grin.

Colin felt his cheeks flush and silently thanked the darkness for concealing his embarrassment. “Life’s been pretty hectic recently,” he admitted. “But this walk’s been... kind of nice.”

The group pressed on until dawn, when the sun finally crested the eastern treetops. Grayne gave the signal to stop.

“Set up camp,” he ordered, his tone curt. “Away from the caravan if you can. Rest up. We head out at dusk.”

Colin followed Lyra and Nectarine toward the trees, meeting up with the rest of the crew. The others had experienced an uneventful night, and conversation was sparse as they busied themselves setting up camp and starting a fire to cook their meal.

Finding a spot between two sturdy trees, Colin set up his makeshift shelter. He stretched a tarp into an A-frame, tying quick knots to secure it, then unrolled his bedroll beneath it. The bedroll was a marvel to him—heavy canvas filled with something soft, like down, but without the pesky feathers poking through. It even had a pocket that could hold a thin mattress or leaf litter for extra cushioning, though it hardly needed it. Compared to his old sleeping bag back on Earth, this was luxury.

Satisfied with his setup, he wandered back to the fire, where Kae was preparing a meal. The others were still occupied with their own tasks, so Colin decided to use the moment to try breaking through Kae’s icy demeanor.

“Sorry about the city,” Colin began hesitantly. “I didn’t mean to intru—”

“It’s not your fault Lyra has a big mouth,” Kae interrupted, his attention fixed on the food. “Being a bard will do that to a girl.”

Colin chuckled nervously. “So... Frosk, huh? I’ve, uh, never heard of that before.”

“Must’ve been a real backwater village you came from,” Kae shot back. “Do you even know what a wagon is?”

The rhetorical jab stung, and Colin felt heat rise in his face. Frustration boiled over before he could stop himself. “What’s your problem with me, anyway? Everyone else has been kind, but you—you’re just a jerk! What did I do to make you hate me so much?”

Kae finally looked up, locking eyes with Colin. His gaze was sharp, calculating.

“I don’t like you,” Kae said plainly. “Why? Because something’s off about you. Your backstory is flimsy at best. You somehow killed a goblin unarmed despite having zero combat experience. You know strange things but are clueless about normal things. It doesn’t add up, and I don’t like that—or you.”

Kae turned back to the fire, his voice calm and matter-of-fact as he continued. “But the others trust you, and that’s enough for me not to kill you outright. So, I’ll keep watching you. I’ll scrutinize every word and every action. And if I ever think you’re a threat to this group, I’ll end you.”

A chill ran down Colin’s spine. The coldness in Kae’s tone was unmistakable. He wasn’t bluffing—Kae meant every word.

Before Colin could respond, Bram approached, his booming voice breaking the tension. “Girlies! Kae’s got food ready! Git over here so we can eat and get some sleep!”

Dinner was simple but hearty—meat, vegetables, and a mix of spices Colin couldn’t identify but thoroughly enjoyed. He ate in silence, responding to questions with brief nods or murmurs, his mind too preoccupied with Kae’s words.

As soon as the meal was finished, Colin excused himself, retreating to his bedroll. Lying on his back, he stared at the tarp above, lost in thought. How did I get here? Why am I here? Why does this world feel so strangely familiar—and yet so alien?

One question spiraled into the next as exhaustion crept over him. His eyelids grew heavy, and eventually, the weariness of the long night took hold. His vision blurred, and he drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.