The caravan starts to slow down and comes to a stop.

“Come on out Elijah,” Devonte says and straps his sword on his back.

We walk out of the coach and toward another one farther ahead of us. As we near, Esmar pops his head out of the coach’s door.

“Why’d you stop the Caravan Devonte? We haven’t reached the agreed-upon camping area,” he says.

“Somethings come up, tell the team to gather for a moment,” Devonte responds.

I hear something shuffle and take a look behind me. Not seeing anything, I turn around to see Edgar standing before me smiling causing me to jump back in shock.

“Little pup, you needn’t be so jumpy,” he pats my head, “Devonte, what’s going on? Why’d we stop.”

What’s with the ‘little pup’? The Caravan Master puts his hand up to signal him to wait, and I watch different people come out from the various carts, coaches and buses.

“There’s been a slight change in plans. I need to reach the capital as fast as I can, so I need to leave. Esmar will now be in charge of the Caravan,”

I zone out from listening to Devonte and his orders and look around the clearing we’re in. As far as I can see is just green land with some trees interspersed between the land. The path we’re travelling is brown and dead from use. I look at the bus and notice the newly awakened staring out the window and discussing with their friends.

I clench my teeth as my thoughts drift to Raven. Raven, wherever you are right now brother, I hope you’re safe and sound. You deserve it. After all we’ve been through together man, I genuinely hope everything works out for you. I wipe a tear off my cheek as my heart pangs and rub my forehead, sighing as I do.

Devonte stops talking and everyone disperses where they came from. I wait beside him and watch him say farewell to his teammates, clamping their hands and giving them a half hug.

We walk back to Devonte’s coach and grab our stuff. The Caravan starts to move once again and eventually leaves us behind.

“So, how are we going to reach the Capital?” I ask.

“You’ll see,” he says mysteriously and starts walking opposite where the Caravan was headed.

I follow after him and shrug my shoulders mentally. I’ve trusted him this far. I might as well continue to do so. Although… I can tell there’s so much he’s hiding from me. We continue walking and I conjure water now and then to keep my thirst at bay. I offer Devonte some, but he just shakes his head.

We reach a patch of trees and he tells me to wait outside and sit until he comes back. I play with my mana and continue to practice Water Construct. Night sets in and Devonte still hasn’t come back. I frown and start to worry, but do as I’m told and wait.

I decide to climb a tree. Reaching the top of the tree, I stare at the beautiful night sky. I stare as the stars dazzle above me and the moon glares into my eyes, letting out a small smile. I feel a sense of peace fall over me and lay on a branch, watching countless meteorites glide in the sky past the slow floating clouds.

Hours slowly pass by and I stay where I am gazing at the sky above, entrapped by its beauty. I eventually succumbed to my sleep. After some time, I fall off my branch causing me to wake up and let out a short scream. Branches hit me as I fall and I land on a small fox butt first with a crunch. Thank god there was an animal under me. I’m very fortunate for the soft landing. I look down, maybe I’m not that fortunate but at least I’m okay. I see another baby fox looking on in horror not far from where I am. My gaze causes it to faint. Or act dead. Hmm, I don’t think it’s smart enough to act dead.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

I pick up the small creature and cuddle it in my arms. Rubbing its chin and stroking its head. Did I fall on it’s Mom or Dad? I hope not.

“Elijah, I thought I told you to stay clear of—” I hear Devonte’s voice say, “Did you fall on a poor fox.”

I turn around, “What makes you say thaattttt? What the hell is that thing? Why is it standing beside you?”

I point to the large dark brown wolf the size of a cart with blue crystals jutting out all over its body.

“That’s my bonded beast. Anyway, you couldn’t have sat still until I came back. Now we have to Find a stream and get you clean,” He sighs and starts walking out of the patch of trees we’re in.

We eventually find a small clear pond and I jump in after giving the baby fox to Devonte. I swim around for a bit and get out. I change and wring out my old clothes and Devinte motions me to pass them to him. I do so and he removes all the water from the clothes using his Manipulation skill. I wonder if I can do that.

I place the old clothes into my duffel bag.

“It’s good that you’re travelling light. Anyway, pass me the bag,” he says passing the little fox back to me.

I pass him my bag and he takes out a saddle from his bag, putting it on the large wolf’s back. He then places our stuff in the side bags that hang from the saddle.

I go up to the large creature’s nose and stroke its large head. I look down at my fox and sigh.

“Elijah, do you mind giving me your fox again,” I pass the sleeping fox to him.

He stares at it before giving me a sad look, “It’s dead. I can’t believe neither of us didn’t notice it before. By the look of it, it’s been dead for some time.”

I feel a pang in my heart but try to ignore it.

“Alright, can we bury it before we go,” I say, not understanding why my heart feels so heavy all of a sudden?

Devonte looks at the large wolf who nods and digs near a small bush. We place the small fox in the hole and fill it in.

“Let’s go,”

We climb onto the wolf and I feel the bones and huge muscles flex beneath me as Devonte straps me to the back of the wolf.

“What’s this for?” I ask in confusion.

“We’re going to go extremely fast. You don’t have the strength to hold on,” He remarks.

I nod and feel the powerful muscles underneath the wolf tense and let go. I feel the air rush past me and hold tighter onto Devonte’s back.

We fly past different sprawling landscapes so fast that all I can see is a blur. We land periodically every minute or so. My legs start to pain but I continue to hold onto the wolf’s back with them.

After an unknown amount of time, we hit the ground but didn’t jump back up. I realize that Breaths turned ragged and that the scenery has changed from before.

In front of me lies a huge silver metal wall, scaling so high that I can barely see the top. There’s a gate with a long line in front of the gate to enter the walls.

He jumps off the wolf’s back and walks toward the gate. The wolf follows him and I hear a feminine voice, “Don’t get off me or talk, young man.”

What the hell, you can talk?

“Yes, I can talk. Now keep quiet and don’t make a scene. Devonte isn’t a well-known figure to the common people or anyone really,” the voice says again.

Devonte turns around to look at us and I notice he’s wearing a light blue mask. We skip ahead of the entire line and the guards at the gate tense when they see us.

“State your name and hand your papers over,” One of the guards shouts.

Devonte pulls something out of his pocket and flashes it to the guards causing them to salute us.

“WELCOME BACK, HUNTER,” the guards all shout in Unison and salute Devonte.

I give the wolf a weird look. I thought you said he wasn’t well-known.

“He isn’t but everyone knows who the King’s men and women are by their insignias and badges,” the wolf responds.

We enter through the gate and I stand shocked at the scene I see.