The air around Aethercrest’s southern gate was heavy with the aftermath of battle. Hundreds of enemy soldiers lay strewn across the field beyond the gate, a grave reminder of the brutal clash that had ravaged the city’s defenses. Distant shouts and the clang of weapons still echoed from the north, a reminder of the struggle still raging within the city. Aelion felt his heart pound as he surveyed the scene, knowing that the respite at the southern gate was only temporary.

The recruits gathered near the gate, waiting for their orders. As the remaining defenders scanned the battlefield, two warriors approached the carriages, their armor streaked with dirt and blood. Each carried a look of hard-won determination, their eyes betraying the fatigue of countless hours in the heat of battle. One of them signaled to Aelion and the others, gesturing toward the waiting carriages.

“It’s time,” the warrior said, his voice firm but weary. He held out a gloved hand, gesturing for the recruits to board. “The way south is clear for now, but there’s no telling how long that will last. You’re to make for Moonglade.”

Aelion glanced around at his companions, each of them bearing the same mix of determination and uncertainty. Selara stood with her bow in hand, her expression calm but intense. Caidren, though visibly shaken, straightened his shoulders, a flicker of resolve in his gaze. Illirya looked ahead, her usual silence replaced by a sense of focus, while Renar’s face was set in its usual mask of disdainful confidence.

The recruits climbed into the carriages, their bows at the ready. With a swift command, the warriors took their places at the reins, urging the horses forward. The carriages lurched as they began their journey, the rhythm of the hooves striking the cobbled road a reminder of their swift departure.

The road south stretched before them, bordered by dense woods that cast shifting shadows across their path. Aelion’s gaze swept over the trees, his eyes keenly searching for any sign of movement. Though they had left the battle behind, he knew they were far from safe.

As they moved deeper into the forest, the noise of the city gradually faded, replaced by the softer sounds of the wild, the rustling of leaves, the occasional call of a distant bird. The road was rough, winding through trees that seemed to close in around them, forming a natural canopy that cast the path in a muted, green light. Aelion could feel the tension settling over the group, each of them gripping their weapons tightly, their eyes alert for any sign of danger.

While lost in his thoughts, it came to Aelion’s senses that his parents were still out on a fishing charter that was supposed to last months and wouldn’t learn of what happened in the city until they came back. This meant that there was a slight chance they could come home to a city in ruins, and it would also mean they wouldn’t be seeing Aelion for a long time due to the length of training.

Aelion would shake these thoughts from his mind, as much as it saddens him, he is now a member of the archery guild of Aethercrest. He reminded himself of the agreements he made on his contract, this would practically become soulbound to him now.

Selara sat beside him, her posture relaxed but her gaze focused. She had the look of someone born for the wild, her movements quiet and fluid as she scanned the forest. Across from them, Caidren kept glancing over his shoulder, his face pale with worry. Illirya, seated at the back of the carriage, clutched her quiver as if drawing strength from it, her usually calm expression now tinged with unease. Renar, however, seemed unfazed, his gaze fixed ahead, his face a mask of indifference.

“Hey Caidren, I just want to say that you did well back there, you held your own, and I saw that you even managed to land a few arrows on the enemies. I bet you miss home now though, but heads up, you’re one of us now, and I got your back for life!” Aelion spoke with enthusiasm.

Caidren looked up at him after taking it in, a smile crossed his face, with a newfound feeling of positivity he would simply reply, “yeah, thank you Aelion!”

#

The silence around them felt ominous, broken only by the steady creak of the carriage wheels and the occasional snort of the horses. Aelion’s mind wandered to the path ahead. Their destination was Moonglade, but the journey was long, nearly two days through unfamiliar terrain. The warriors guiding them had mentioned that they would stop at Vayne’s Retreat, a small camp village nestled between Aethercrest and Moonglade, for the night. It was a place known to be safe, at least, it had been in the past.

The thought of reaching Vayne’s Retreat was a small comfort, though Aelion couldn’t help but feel a prickle of apprehension. Vayne’s Retreat wasn’t far from the Eldra Ruins, the ancient city that had once been the heart of Eldravale before it was abandoned. Stories of the ruins were plentiful, tales of strange happenings and sightings of things that didn’t belong in the natural world.

About an hour into their journey, Aelion caught sight of movement in the dense underbrush just beyond the path. His body tensed, and he raised his bow slightly, his eyes scanning the treeline. There, half-hidden by shadows, was a figure cloaked in dark armor, watching them with a cold, unblinking gaze.

“Enemy scout,” Aelion muttered, his voice low but urgent.

Selara followed his gaze, her eyes narrowing as she too raised her bow. The scout disappeared as swiftly as he’d appeared, melting back into the forest without a trace. Aelion lowered his bow, frustration tightening in his chest. If the scout was reporting back to a larger force, they could be in serious danger.

“Scouts? Out here?” Selara whispered, “I hope we find out who these people are and where they come from, this is just absolutely absurd.”

The warrior at the front of the carriage overheard, glancing back with a grim expression. “Stay sharp. That won’t be the last of them.”

The recruits exchanged uneasy glances, each of them gripping their bows a little tighter as they continued down the road. The forest grew darker as the hours passed, the trees twisting into strange, angular shapes that cast eerie shadows over the path. The silence became oppressive, and Aelion felt his nerves fray with each mile.

#

As dusk began to settle over the forest, the carriages crested a small hill, and a scattering of lights appeared in the distance. Vayne’s Retreat lay nestled in a clearing surrounded by tall, ancient trees that seemed to stand guard over the camp village. The settlement consisted of several wooden structures—simple huts with thatched roofs and tents clustered around a central firepit. It was a small, rough-hewn place, but the warm glow of the fire and the faint hum of conversation brought a sense of safety.

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Aelion felt a wave of relief as they approached, though the sight of the guards posted around the perimeter reminded him that they were still very much in hostile territory. The carriages rolled to a stop just outside the village, and the recruits climbed out, stretching their sore muscles as they took in their surroundings.

Vayne’s Retreat had a quiet, almost timeless feel to it. The people here looked worn and wary, their faces shadowed by the dim light of the fire. Travelers and traders gathered around, their belongings stashed in small carts or on pack animals. Some were exchanging stories, their voices hushed as if afraid to disturb the peace of the forest.

The recruits gathered around the fire, grateful for its warmth after the long, tense ride. Aelion took a seat on a rough wooden bench, his gaze drifting over the faces of the villagers. They seemed accustomed to strangers, their expressions calm but watchful as they glanced at the new arrivals.

As they settled in, one of the warriors guiding them approached, his expression serious. He pointed northward, past the clearing and into the forest.

“We’ll rest here tonight, but stay close to the fire and keep your weapons ready. This is as close as we want to get to the Eldra Ruins after dark.”

Aelion’s gaze followed the warrior’s pointing hand, his eyes narrowing as he looked into the dense forest beyond the camp. He had heard stories about the Eldra Ruins, the ancient city that had once been the center of life in Eldravale, abandoned by the original society of people due to disapproving governing concerns.

The warrior gave a curt nod before moving on to check the perimeter, leaving the recruits alone by the fire. Aelion shifted on the bench, his mind heavy with thoughts of the journey ahead. Despite the warm glow of the fire, a chill lingered in the air, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching them from the shadows.

Illirya, who had been uncharacteristically silent, glanced around at the surrounding trees, her expression contemplative. “Do you think the stories are true?” she asked quietly, her voice barely more than a whisper.

“They’re definitely true,” Renar grunted, “my pops and I explored it once just a year or so ago. We saw beasts that have never been mentioned in any books, tomes or classes. Have you ever seen a horse with a rhino horn and a devil’s tail? Yeah, they’re true, the place is fucked.”

Their conversation fell into silence as the recruits gazed into the fire, each lost in their own thoughts. The crackle of burning wood and the soft murmurs of the villagers were the only sounds, and for a brief moment, Aelion felt a sense of peace.

As the night deepened, Aelion’s gaze drifted to the edge of the camp, where a figure stood alone, silhouetted against the firelight. The man was tall and lean, his face hidden by the shadows of a hooded cloak. Something about his posture caught Aelion’s attention, a quiet intensity that suggested he was no mere traveler.

Before Aelion could ponder further, the man stepped forward, his gaze sharp and assessing as he looked over the recruits.

“Talking about the ruins hmm? Interesting topic for a bunch of nosy kids like yourself to delve into. My name is Shax, and I’ve lived here in Vayne’s Retreat for nearly a decade, studying the Eldra Ruins and the mystery within it. Let me give you kids a piece of advice,” his glare becoming evil-like, “don’t you ever step foot in that domain if you know what is good for you, it will change you forever.”

The man’s words left an uneasy silence in their wake, and without further explanation, he turned and disappeared into the shadows beyond the camp. Aelion exchanged a glance with Selara, her eyes reflecting the same mix of curiosity and wariness he felt.

“Strange place, Vayne’s Retreat,” she murmured, her gaze still fixed on the spot where the man had vanished.

Caidren lightly chuckled, “and to think you’ve been there Renar, maybe that explains why you’re always so stiff.”

Renar looked him hard into his eyes and spit at his feet, refusing to give words as an acknowledgement to the tone of being checked.

The night wore on, and the recruits took turns keeping watch, their nerves still on edge from the events of the day. Each shadow seemed to shift, each rustle of leaves bringing a new wave of apprehension. Aelion felt the weight of exhaustion settling over him, but he forced himself to stay alert, his hand resting on his bow as he scanned the darkened forest.

Dawn came slowly, the gray light filtering through the trees and casting a soft glow over Vayne’s Retreat. The villagers stirred, packing their belongings and preparing for another day. The recruits, too, gathered their things, their faces lined with fatigue but their spirits resolute.

As they climbed back into the carriages, Aelion cast one last look toward the forest. The looming presence of the Eldra Ruins weighed heavily on his mind, a silent reminder of the mysteries and dangers that lay in the heart of Eldravale. He took a deep breath, focusing on the path ahead.

The horses snorted as the warriors urged them forward, the carriages lurching as they began the final leg of their journey to Moonglade. The forest around them seemed less ominous in the light of day, though Aelion couldn’t shake the feeling that their brief stop at Vayne’s Retreat had changed something, leaving them marked by a shadow of some sort, maybe a curse of foreshadowing.

As they moved further south, the familiar trees of Moonglade’s border came into view, their branches glimmering with a soft, mystical light. The trees here grew taller and more graceful, their trunks twisting and spiraling upward in elegant forms, as if shaped by a patient hand over centuries. Silver leaves adorned their branches, catching the sunlight and casting a faint, ethereal glow across the forest floor, making the path feel almost enchanted. The delicate scent of wild herbs and blooming starflowers filled the air, their soft, luminescent petals tracing the winding road.

Aelion felt a flicker of relief as they crossed into Moonglade’s borders, the tranquil beauty of the elven realm a balm to the memories of battle and the eerie quiet of Vayne’s Retreat. Here, the forest seemed alive, as if welcoming them. In the distance, he could make out the silhouettes of slender, arching bridges made from living trees, their branches and roots intertwined to form natural pathways high above the ground. Glowing crystals, placed carefully along the paths, illuminated the forest with a soft, silver light that blended harmoniously with the lush greenery.

As they rode closer, Aelion could see small elven dwellings nestled within the treetops, their roofs crafted from woven leaves and adorned with dangling charms that chimed softly in the breeze. The buildings were crafted from the forest itself, each structure seamlessly integrated into the living landscape, their walls seeming to breathe along with the trees. Every detail, from the delicate latticework around windows to the spiral carvings etched into doorframes, exuded a timeless grace and elegance that spoke of Moonglade’s elven heritage.

The recruits tightened their grips on their weapons, each feeling a mixture of awe and apprehension. For most of them, this was the first time they had entered the realm of Moonglade, a city inhabited primarily by elves whose long lives had given them wisdom and strength but also a guarded reserve toward outsiders. They all knew Moonglade’s reputation as a place of beauty and magic, yet there was an underlying wariness among the recruits as they prepared to face whatever awaited them within the city’s mystical embrace.

Aelion cast a final glance over his shoulder, his gaze lingering on the distant outline of Vayne’s Retreat. Even as they entered the sanctuary of Moonglade, the memory of Shax’s warning and the shadows of the ruins hung heavily in his mind, reminding him that their journey was only just beginning.