The carriage drove silently along the winding road, while Kaizen and Xisrith continued their ordinary conversation. The sun had already set and the moon was beginning to take shape in the sky. As the two friends laughed at a joke, Xisrith noticed something strange ahead. A faint, wavering glow that stood still in the middle of the dark road. She frowned and squinted to see better.
"Kaizen, look ahead," she muttered, pointing with her head in the direction of the glow.
Kaizen followed her gaze and frowned. "Torches in the middle of the road?" he asked, gently pulling on the carriage's reins to slow it down. "Stay alert."
As the carriage approached the torches, their glow became more defined. They soon realized that they were actually several torches, all held in the hands of a group of men. The men were positioned in the middle of the road, partially blocking the way to Mibothen.
