Crunch! Crunch!

The sounds of dried leaves being crushed underfoot filled the air as the sounds of the forest whispered softly in the background as two boys made their way through the light wilderness.

“I can’t believe your parents let you forage in the Great Forest alone?” Will said while clicking his tongue. He couldn’t help but rub his palms on himself to stave off the sweat build up.

Rustle!

A rustling was heard from a nearby shrubbery to Will’s left causing him to jolt. His hand reflexively found his saber at his waist as he eyed the direction of the noise warily. He only exhaled the breath he was holding when he confirmed that it was nothing. His vigilance did not relax, however.

He turned his attention to his companion who was just a step ahead, looking at him with amusement.

“Still jumping at shadows?” Sam asked, mirth evident in his voice.

Will’s face reddened. Snorting, he bumped Sam’s shoulder with his own, deciding to take the lead.

“We’re still only two leagues away from the house. There’s nothing too dangerous here.” Sam said, catching up to Will. “And we won’t even be going anywhere near the Beast king territories so you don’t have to be so afraid.”

Will harrumphed. “It's called vigilance! Do not mistake it for cowardice.”

Sam rolled his eyes but said nothing. He had realized that this prince had a habit of using formal speech whenever he got embarrassed. He didn’t push him too much, though. When all was said and done, they were still in the wilderness. Despite the region around their house being relatively safe, dangerous beasts would occasionally wander nearby.

“So is it true?” Sam asked as he cut through a thicket of entangled vines. Ducking under an overhanging log, he made his way through the opening he had created to find himself in front of a shallow creek.

“Is what true?” Came Will’s response shortly after, catching up to Sam.

“What big sis and papa were talking about yesterday in the study.”

“That is only natural!” Will declared proudly, puffing out his chest. Clearing the sweat off his forehead, he continued, “My father is very, very strong. It is only natural that his retainers are also not too lacklustre in comparison.”

Sam raised an eyebrow. There was definitely a better way you could have put that, he thought.

Will inhaled a deep breath as he took in the wilderness around him.

They had arrived at the bottom of a gentle valley. A shallow wide stream snaked through the creek and a small family of the biggest deer Will had ever seen could be seen quenching their thirst on the other side. The largest of the deer looked at the two new arrivals warily for a moment. Its gaze lingered on Will before it resumed it drink.

“Aurum is naturally strong as well.” Will continued as he approached Sam who was currently turning over large rocks alongside the creek’s banks for some reason. Occasionally, he would click his tongue when he found nothing underneath them. “We have been at war for as long as I can remember.”

When he recalled the conversation between Rose and his master, his anger simmered. “Those bastards of Frostvein and Khazrak! Cowards with no honour!” Will hawked saliva in his mouth and spat in disdain.

For him, Aurum had always been at war. It was all he had ever known. Yesterday, however, was the first time he had heard the details. To think the cowards would break the agreement and attack Aurum’s back!

“Why were you guys even attacking Great Jin in the – Ah! There we go!” Sam exclaimed when he was finished rolling away another large stone.

Moss-covered ground was revealed underneath. Insects scurried in all directions with some burrowing into the ground as Sam crouched to inspect the soil that was overshadowed by the rock’s body.

A patch of small dark brown mushroom type fungi were seen clustered together. Sam crouched and began to carefully uproot them, taking care to not sever their roots before placing them in his storage pouch.

Will looked at Sam strangely when he heard the boy’s question. “We want independence of course.” He stated matter-of-factly.

“Independence from what?”

“From Great Jin.”

“Why?”

Will let out an exasperated sigh. What kind of stupid question was that?

“Because…” Will started but paused. His face revealed a slight frown as he tried to think of a response. Why did they want independence? “Ah! Because we didn’t want to pay tribute to Great Jin. They take our money and resources. I hear they even used to come and poach our geniuses before sending them off to fund their wars.”

Will's voice was rife with indignance. Despite that, he was very satisfied with his answer. Even though it had taken him some time to parse together, it was enough to even earn him some praise from his royal tutor.

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Sam rose from his crouching position, sealing the bag in which he had placed the mushrooms he had collected.

“I…see.” Sam stated simply. He seemed to be ruminating over something in his head. Whatever his thoughts were, though, he didn’t give them voice. Instead, he continued to flip over large rocks and boulders in search of more mushrooms.

“So those are the mushrooms that are supposed to make the medicinal bath?” Will asked, eyeing the pouch that stored the mushrooms.

“Yeah,” Sam affirmed with slight impatience in his tone. Although the prince was enjoyable to talk to, he had a bad habit of asking stupid questions. Sam was coming to realize that maybe he had too many bad habits. “Aeonium mushrooms, Oak spirit grass, and a few other minor herbs. They can be prepared into a medicinal bath that purifies the body. The herbs aren’t too rare. It's just these mushrooms that are such a pain to search for.” Sam complained.

Will just laughed sheepishly. He didn’t know any of these things. He had just wanted to accompany Sam because he found it hard to believe that a child to move around in the Great Forest alone and not be attacked. In fact, he still believed, one of the adults were watching them in secret and taking care of any real threats before he and Sam even noticed them.

“You know in Aurum I would never be allowed to go outside the castle alone, let alone somewhere as dangerous as the Great Forest.” Will said as he helped Sam lift a boulder.

Sam snorted. “I would hope so. You’re so dreadfully weak the wind might carry you away.”

Will glared at Sam. “I could also have you killed just for saying that.”

Sam shot Will a bewildered stare. “Really?”

“Naturally,” Will shrugged. “I’m the Imperial prince.”

“So?”

“So? What do you mean ‘so’? My father is the king!” Will was flabbergasted but soon he understood. This kid’s parents were nearly as strong, if not as strong, as his own parents. Of course he had nothing to fear.

Sam was equally bemused. What did Will’s father have to do with killing him? Too lazy to continue the conversation, he gathered the last of the mushrooms before exhaling a satisfied breath of air.

Sam checked his storage bag to make sure all the herbs were collected and taken care of before starting off on the return journey. The sun was approaching its zenith, and he was still dissatisfied that he had spent his entire morning foraging for herbs instead of testing his newfound strength in training.

For all his grumbling, however, he couldn’t help but feel grateful to Will when he remembered what his mother had told him. He would be going to the elven city of Silvestria!

Sam was as excited as he was nervous. He had never left the forest let alone been to a city. In the books he read, cities were hubbubs of activity and were always bustling with people. So as the boys made their way back home, Sam couldn’t help but ask, “What’s it like being in a city?”

“Hmm?” Will hummed, not quite understanding the question. “What do you mean? You’ve never been to a city?”

“Nope.”

Will tapped his chin in thought. “It's very… suffocating.” He replied.

“What?”

“You can’t go anywhere without people bowing to you. Everyone talks to you like you’re gonna eat them. And the formal clothes are so uncomfortable!” Will began to spout a long list of complaints while Sam’s expression that was once one of genuine interest morphed into something strange.

Finally, the young prince pointed up a finger as he concluded, “But the meat on a stick is really good. You don’t have to eat it with a fork and knife. Blegh~”

Sam wasn’t sure but he believed his companion’s experience was not the most reliable benchmark to base his expectations on.

By the time the two boys caught sight of the cottage fence through the trees, the day had already reached its peak.

In the compound where Sam’s training was conducted, Lena could be seen with a wooden sword floating in front of her. The sword circled and danced around in the air as it slashed at an imaginary target. The sight was beautiful but Sam could see the intense look on the girl’s face that coupled with the unsteadiness of the slashes, made evident that she was overexerting herself.

“Looks like she’s practicing mana manipulation,” Will observed, the boy’s arriving just outside the gate.

Sam nodded.

***

Lena’s chest heaved up and down as perspiration matted her forehead, her breaths shallow and ragged, each inhale a struggle against the weight of exhaustion of continuously pouring mana into her training sword. She was currently performing a mana manipulation exercise that Lady Barak had offhandedly mentioned to her when she had inquired about the warlock path.

Lena could feel that the elixir she had consumed yesterday had not only healed her injuries, but also enhanced her perception and mana sensitivity. She could even perform minor spells like ignis without much issue.

Such was the wonder of Lady Barak’s medical prowess that not only had Lena noticed instabilities in the foundation she was once so proud of, the elixir had gone further and helped her strengthen those foundations and imperfections.

Lena took a deep breath as she tried to manoeuvre the mana tendrils that ensured her control over the levitating blade. The exercise was taxing but she could feel her control getting better as the sword danced more deftly. Lena danced along, trying to perform the sword technique taught to her by her auntie Rose back in Aurum. But the sword was meant to be held in hand and manoeuvring it using mana caused the technique to appear clunky.

“Hey lil’ sis!” A voice called out to Lena breaking her out of her concentration.

Jumping out of the way to avoid a wayward slash from the rogue blade, she glared at one of the two newcomers – Sam.

“Tch! Can’t you see I’m training?” Lena retorts in annoyance. “And I’m older than you!”

“Hehe,” Sam chuckles as he approaches Lena. “Yeah, but your weaker. According to the customs of the martial path, the stronger is the big sibling.”

The corner of Lena’s mouth twitches but she manages to return a sarcastic smile. “Who said I’m weaker?”

Sam just gives her a look that says ‘Yeah, we both know who’s weaker.’

Lena huffs but her frown soon curves into a playful smile. “You’re just jealous I get to train while you go out picking grass.”

It was Sam’s turn to glare.

The boy and girl went back and forth and even exchange a few blows before a clap from Neva gets their attention.

The venom in Sam’s eyes coupled with his dishevelled hair made it obvious who the winner of the little scuffle was. Lena just giggled cheerfully as she sauntered into the house with a triumphant hip in her step.

“Don’t worry little Sam,” she said teasingly. “Just trust this big sis. I’ll definitely take care of you when we go to Silvestria. After all, if you go around acting like a bumpkin, those pointy ears will look down on us.”

Sam harrumphed but didn’t retort, conceding defeat this time. The happy gleam in his eyes, however, betrayed the grimace on his face. While he loved his father and mother and had always been happy with them, there was a different kind of contentment that filled his heart when he bantered with Will and Sam.

He didn’t quite understand it yet, but a spark had been lit deep inside him. The odd story Sam told him about the city. The food on sticks. And the arrogant young masters that Lena said he acted like… He wanted to see them. He wanted to experience them as well.

Turning back, he looked at the trees beyond the fence, his gaze trying to pierce through the woods.

“Silvestria, huh?” he mumbled.