Eirin questioned herself. What was she supposed to bring anyway? It will be her first time leaving the Senerra Academy and going out into the world of Proprius. What danger would she face this time? Since she lacked the time, Eirin pulled all the necessities she thought she'd need: a change of clothes, toiletries, and snacks. Questions filled her head as she wondered how the students fulfilled their missions.
It will be her first time going out of the academy grounds. Eirin wondered what she should expect going out, forgetting how she and Pierre went to the Æredale City hospital.
The teenage girl wore her uniform and soon grabbed her room key on the bedside table but accidentally bumped into the table, causing her belongings to fall. "What great timing," she whispered while tidying up, but her forehead soon creased upon seeing an unfamiliar object. It was a cutter knife she had never seen before. The blue cutter knife looked brand new and piqued Eirin's curiosity. It must have belonged to Coleen, she thought.
"I'll just give it to her."
Eirin put on her white shoes and went out. When she arrived near the main garden, she saw Coleen, Link, and Shade waiting. The teenage girl mustered all her courage to approach Coleen, but she wasn't even looking at her.
"Let's all go now," Link led their way toward the nearest magic tower beside the main building. It was surrounded by blooming flowers, and no unkept weeds were seen, unlike the magic tower southeast of the main building.
Anna Welkins stood before the magic tower and said they would only be teleported in front of the capital, the Æredale City. Afterward, they would rely solely on their abilities to take charge and finish the mission independently.
"Wait, Ms. Welkins," Link stopped their walk as he opened his bag and pulled out two pills. "These two should drink this first. It'll be hard on them."
Eirin and Coleen received one each of the two pills, which made Eirin tilt her head in confusion.
"It is to prevent nausea. Since it would be your first time using a portal, and since Coco just got better, it is a precaution," Link said as he pulled out two water bottles and gave them to the girls.
The two drank the medicine while Eirin remembered how Pierre did not even make her drink anything and just went over it while knowing full well that Eirin might feel nauseous. She couldn't tell Link about some of those since Link was under the impression that Eirin had yet to go to the capital. As they walked towards the room where the portal was, Eirin's eyes kept landing on Shade in front of her.
When they entered the platform for the portal, the blue light shone, and Eirin felt her heart thumping. Experiencing going through a portal for the second time does not make her feel excited at all. It's making her palms sweaty, and her legs lose strength.
"Are we all good now?"
Eirin shut her eyes and stood still, wishing she'd go through this portal well, unlike her first time. She wanted to hold onto something, but nothing but the four of them stood above inside the portal. When the clicking sound of activation filled Eirin's ears, she took a deep breath and kept her eyes closed.
"Blech!"
"I'm sorry. I should have given you the medicine earlier," Link said while caressing Eirin's back as she vomited. "Here, some water."
Eirin heard Shade clicking his tongue, but she could not bother giving him attention. She was too nauseous to even move from where she was sitting. Her eyesight was a blur, and her head felt continuously spinning. They have decided to rest quickly, just enough for Eirin to get rid of her nausea. While resting near the fountain in the middle of the Æredale City, Link opened the letter for their mission.
"It says, Find the Phoenix. Village of Dalry."
Coleen tilted her head while Eirin raised an eyebrow. The two had the same thought of what that could mean.
"Hmm, we will need a carriage. To get to the hidden village of Dalry, we must ride past the town of Grimsby southwest of the capital. Then, we'll pass the City of Egrane, and after going through some mountains, we'll reach the hidden village of Dalry in no time. Let's thank Ms. Anna for giving us some extra money."
"That's too far," Coleen complained. "Isn't there like a shortcut or something?"
Shade scoffed, causing Coleen to glare at him. "I don't think you two would survive if we take the shortcut you want." Coleen rolled her eyes upon hearing that and did not say anything, while Eirin did her best to stand up alone.
After Link asked Eirin if she felt better, he decided they had better get going since they should find a carriage as soon as possible. It would take them a long ride, after all. Despite not saying anything else, Eirin could feel the burden the mission had put on Link. This causes Eirin to think if this is surely an easy mission.
The four teenagers walked towards the nearest stable, where all the coachmen gathered around to receive customers.
"Apologies, we cannot lend you children a carriage."
Link's eyes widened as he blinked three times. "Why is that good sir?" He could not comprehend the situation at all. What could have gone wrong this early in their mission? The lively music and cheering laughter from the people in the city surrounding them kept distracting Eirin and Coleen.
"Do you not see, child? We got no carriage to lend," the old man said as he tended to one of the horses in the stable.
"Gramps, I'm back with the carriage we lent to the old man yesterday."
A young man arrived in front of the stables. He was tall and scrawny. His face was filled with freckles, and he wore old black waders covered with mud and dirt. He looked young and might be the same age as Eirin and the others.
"Oh, students of Senerra Academy," the young man said in awe after seeing the teenagers' uniform. "Are you guys going on a mission? Seems fun."
The old man shook his head and said, "If you children wished for this boy to be your coachman, then we might be able to lend a spare carriage." He continued feeding the horses while talking. "Where do you say you, children, will go?"
"We need to go to the hidden village of Dalry."
"Wow! That's so far from here," the young man said with wide eyes and mouth agape. Excitement twinkled in his huge brown eyes.
Shade rolled his eyes and turned his back at them. He's not fond of interacting with strangers, much more people who are different from him. Link then explained the route he wanted to take and how much he would be willing to offer.
"Apologies, young man, but we cannot do that," the old man shook his head. "It is too far and dangerous for young people to go to without an adult supervising."
"We're students from the academy. When did we need help from the adults?" Shade muttered, making Eirin nudge his arm to shut him up.
The wise and capable young man, Link, did not expect such a problem to go their way this early. Since finding the cure for the plague relies on this mission, they must get the Phoenix as soon as possible. Link wouldn't hesitate to take his sweet time if it wasn't for that.
"I suggest waiting till tomorrow if you direly need a carriage," the old man said. "But as it is now, we cannot lend you one."
They had no choice but to leave the stables and return to the city streets.
"What should we do now?" Coleen clung to Link's arm as they stood in front of a bakery shop, surrounded by a tasty and sweet aroma.
Eirin could not even focus as she kept roaming her vision, seeing everything simultaneously. Houses made from timber; stores that look so old Eirin would only see it in fantasy children's books before. The smell of freshly baked goods caused the teenage girl to gulp as she could hear little children's laughter around them.
Amazed and in awe, Eirin could not focus and didn't hear what Link said as she let her mind flutter with the wind.
"We can take the shortcut."
Hearing Shade speak those words snatched Eirin's attention. Was it not him who said they wouldn't be able to survive if they took the said shortcut? Why would he suggest it now?
"You mean the Lively Grove? I don't think we should," Link hesitated, but his face showed how he considered that idea. "Coco and Eirin might get hurt."
"What do you mean by that?"
Shade grunted in annoyance, making Eirin roll her eyes while wondering why the young man was always annoyed with everything she did.