Bottles were smashed, kegs tipped over on their sides, chalets and mugs left to sit for the night on the gravel roads of Starch. Many men lay on the cold hard ground throughout the village, just about everybody in the village attended the festival last night. The one person that nobody had seen was Rokas.

The Silver twins were just awakening, the light was shining through their red stained glass window and landing directly on the face of Elias. He grunted "Yep, I'm happy this will be the last time that happens, at least hopefully for a long time."

The twins were never fond of rude awakenings, but this time of year was exceptionally irritating for Elias because of the positioning of their window with the sunrise. Ariah got a good kick out of it as she was giggling with her blanket covering her head. Both Ariah and Elias had headaches that felt like a hammer hitting their skulls. Every heartbeat reminded them of the drums that banged the night prior.

"Elias, I think it's safe to say we're never going to drink again right? We should probably get up and meet with Rokas, wherever he may be." Ariah mumbled.

The twins both sat up and looked at each other with synchronization. Their eyes had a yellowish glow that could prove that they had drank more than they could handle, their faces said it all as they glared at one another with an almost grumpy appearance, each of them seeing double of one another for a few moments.

"You know, I think I need to go eat more food in one sitting than I have ever had before, care to join?" Elias asked while rubbing his temples.

"Yeah, no doubt, this is rough." Ariah replied.

The two sported their new outfits, Dusty must have put them in their home the night before. The clothing was all black with silver trim, Elias had a trench coat with the logo of Starch embroidered with red thread on an arm sleeve. Ariah's new flashy clothing sported the same colors but it was a two piece corset outfit. The logo was seen on the right leg where a pocket was.

"Alright, I'm definitely rocking with this, let's go sis, we can't miss breakfast. Otherwise, we will never get over this hangover before we see Rokas, and god forbid he sees us as pathetic as we are on the day of our departure." Elias said with some humor.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

The twins stared at the door, worried because it was very loud and obnoxious.

"Don't worry, it's me guys!" Rokas yelled through the door. "Please don't smash my face this time, respectfully." He chuckled afterward.

Elias proceeded to open the door slowly this time, the shock that appeared on his face was that of a horror film. Rokas' hair had been cut off and a barrage of various paints was wiped across all areas of his face. His clothes were muddy and stained by obvious booze.

"Dude, you were absolutely wasted, I can tell. What the hell happened to your hair?" Elias asked while scanning his body and face.

"Well you guys couldn't see me because I was originally in a mask playing instruments and dancing. I decided if I'm going to leave Starch finally, I am going to be the person I've always wanted to be, and hell, I clearly managed to do so." Rokas replied with a large smile.

The three would begin laughing hysterically, Elias like before, would grab a washcloth for Rokas. He wetted it down and handed it to Rokas to remove his drunken branding. After a few wipes, the face paint rubbed off and Rokas would then just have very short hair, which was different for anybody to see.

"Your speech was amazing guys, really, I can't wait to set off for our adventure, in the meantime however, we can all agree we need food. After that, then we shall go about packing for this adventure." Rokas said after catching a breath.

"Thank you! It's weird to feel, I guess, popular? I never expected either me or Elias to be viewed as leaders. Now, let's go get food and then we need to discuss who will go first in the expedition. Either we're going for the mountains or we're going into Swampstead, either way I am excited." Ariah responded.

The unlikely pair would head to the tavern to get some grub. Everyone who was sitting at tables, were profusely hungover. So many men were sloppily eating away at their plates. It wouldn't be long before the three would devour the food they got. Shortly after the three would exit the tavern, stomachs were full and many goodbye were said to them as they exited.

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"Well lucky for you two, I already packed everything necessary for our journey. I got a bag in my home which has everything for all of us. We should take turns carrying it so we can all have a physical rest while walking." Rokas said to the twins.

"Sounds good to me, let's get this show on the road once and for all!" Elias replied excitingly.

In the picturesque village of Starch, the morning sun cast its golden rays across the cobblestone streets, painting the quaint houses in hues of warm amber and inviting gold. A gentle breeze danced through the air, carrying with it the fresh scent of blooming flowers and newly mown grass. The leaves of the ancient forest trees that bordered the village swayed in harmony, their branches reaching skyward as if in joyful celebration of the day's arrival.

Above, the azure sky stretched endlessly, dotted with fluffy white clouds that drifted lazily across the expanse. The sun's rays filtered through the foliage, dappling the ground below in a mosaic of light and shadow. Birds sang sweet melodies from their perches high above, their cheerful trills adding to the symphony of nature's song.

As villagers went about their morning routines, the air buzzed with the anticipation of another beautiful day in Starch. From the now bustling market square to the tranquil lanes lined with quaint cottages, the village hummed with life and vitality. And overhead, the forest trees swayed happily in the breeze, their verdant branches whispering secrets to the wind as they welcomed the dawn of a new day.

They made their way to Rokas' home which was conveniently a few houses down from Dusty's shop. Rokas ran inside to grab the bag, it was relatively small and the twins were confused as to how everything will fit in there.

"So how do you suppose all of our gear, food, and miscellaneous items will fit in here?" Ariah said with a sort of snob-like attitude.

Rokas looked into her eyes with no emotional appearance and replied with "Casting Molecular Expansion... Just like that actually." He then had a smile with a wink and his head tilted towards Ariah, giving her the same snotty attitude. "No worries, you haven't been around any of the magic that my family possessed, hell, maybe one percent of Saintsland has actually seen it. Consider yourselves lucky because we're gonna do some awesome shit. So this spell allows the items to shrink in size based on the interior of the bag. However, the weight of said items does not change, it is just condensed into a smaller version, visually and physically I suppose. It's quite confusing, but please, try to lift this bag Elias."

Elias went to go pick up the bag, unexpecting the weight it had. He actually had to use a bit of muscle to throw it over his shoulders. "I call carrying it first" Elias exclaimed.

The three exited Rokas' home to see a couple people waiting outside. It was Dusty, Ivan, and Sonia holding her baby. Dusty held his arms out to the twins, they hugged one last time as a group. Ivan shook the hands of all three of them. Sonia simply had tears in her eyes, her baby was wide awake.

"His name is Kade, you saved not only my life, but you saved his, thank you, especially you, Elias." Sonia said with sadness. She took a step closer to Elias to give him a kiss on the cheek, and he blushed. His cheeks went back to that same color they were this morning, when he was as hungover as a sailor. No more words were said, the gang of three nodded their heads in respect and started walking out of the southernmost gate.

"My sweet little baby brother getting his first kiss, how adorable!" Ariah said with a childish voice, mocking Elias.

"My sweet little baby sister is still not getting her first kiss, how funny!" Elias responded with the same tone as he stuck his tongue out. Ariah nudged his arm jokingly.

They made quite a ways from the gate of Starch and found themselves walking into the front of the forest opening. The twins hadn't been out this way before in their lives, but for Rokas, this part was a walk in the park. The only problem for him was the mountain, he hadn't been to the top yet, and he was basing his ideas from a rumor his father told him as a child. That mana pool was going to make or break Ariah, he just had to be right.

"I've been thinking, since this Gravity Toad that we need to defeat is actually going to be quite difficult, we may need Ariah's magical backup. Elias, would you be offended if we went to the peak of the Southern Saint Mountains to get Ariah's item first?" Rokas asked.

"Absolutely not my friend, I won't lie, I was looking forward to that just as much as fighting this toad. Let's get to it, no looking back from here!" Elias responded.

As the trio of adventurers walked through the familiar streets of Starch one last time, a bittersweet nostalgia hung heavy in the air. Rokas, Ariah, and Elias exchanged heartfelt farewells with their fellow villagers, their steps slow and measured as they savored each moment. The bustling energy of the festival still echoed in their minds, but now a new journey lay ahead, beckoning them toward the unknown.

With a final glance back at the village they called home, Rokas, Ariah, and Elias pressed onward, their resolve unwavering as they approached the southernmost exit of Starch. Beyond the threshold awaited the looming shadow of the dark, bleak forest, its secrets and mysteries shrouded in darkness. But with determination in their hearts and a shared sense of purpose, they stepped into the unknown, ready to embrace the challenges that lay ahead.

As they ventured deeper into the dense foliage of the forest, the air grew thick with anticipation, the silence broken only by the rustling of leaves and the distant call of nocturnal creatures. With each step forward, Rokas, Ariah, and Elias drew closer to their destination, their spirits undeterred by the daunting path that lay before them. For beyond the veil of the forest awaited Swampstead and Lake Celia, promising adventure, danger, and the possibility of new beginnings. And so, with courage in their hearts and the bonds of friendship to guide them, they ventured forth into the unknown, ready to carve their own path in the world beyond.