Max and Snickers kicked a small rock for at least 30 minutes now, with their tongues out, they played a game every child played at least once in their lives. "TRY NOT TO KICK THE BALL OFF THE ROAD!" Max yelled in excitement."Never heard of that game before," Snickers admitted. "And it sounds too long and too boring."Max smirked. "That's what you think now, but it isn't as easy as it seems."A shiver went down Snickers's back."You can't let it get off the road, and it is much harder than it sounds, trust me!" Max finished."Okay, you pick the stone and let's start!" Snickers prepared himself for the challenge.And that's how it started. The sun was setting, hiding from the rock. The surrounding forest seemed to close around them, following the game. The air was cool, a perfect day for kicking rocks.Max focused on the rock, his eyes narrowing as he aimed his next kick. "Here it comes, Snickers!" He kicked the stone carefully with the tip of his boot, sending it rolling smoothly down the road.Snickers, fast as ever, intercepted the stone and lifted it with his tail. "Not bad, but watch this!" He kicked the rock while it was still spinning in the air, sending it bouncing over a small bump in the road. Max ran to catch up, laughing as he did.Both of them were having fun, determined not to let the rock stray from their playing field.Snicker stumbled and nearly fell, but he managed to keep the rock in play. "See? Told you it's not boring," Max said, fighting for air.Snickers grinned, "Okay, okay, I admit it. This is actually kinda fun."Their game continued until Max kicked the stone too hard, and it went off the road, disappearing somewhere in between the trees. Both of them collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily, but with wide grins on their faces."Looks like we lost," Max said between breaths."Yeah, but it was worth it," Snickers replied. "Fireball!" Max cast, pointing his wand towards a pile of wood next to the road. It hit the target and all the pieces of wood they had collected went all over the place."That wasn't the plan, was it?" Snickers looked at him.The ground around the place where the fire was supposed to be was burning, holes in the earth from all the previous misses. And now, branches and pieces of wood were also all scattered on the side of the road."I really need to practice more, I can't hit anything!" Max looked furious."Practice makes perfect," Snickers was collecting the firewood again. "That's what my father always told me, and he was always right. Or most of the time at least.""My mana pool is very low, I can't cast for a long time, so I have to make every spell count.""Then, practice more. It is simple." Snickers already lit the fire, no spells were needed, just survival skills.The crackling fire cast flickering shadows on their faces, it was warm and it felt safe, not destructible like Max's spell, fireball.Max sat cross-legged on a soft patch of grass, several scrolls spread out before him. The firelight did a good job in providing enough light for him to read, to try and read at least. His brows were furrowed as he tried to understand what the symbols meant.Snickers, on the other hand, was busy with his own activities. The kobold always found something to do. He was gathering twigs and leaves, arranging them in interesting patterns on the ground. Once in a while, he would look at Max, he was interested in what he was doing.At one point, Snickers paused in his work and looked over at Max. "What are you doing, Max?" he asked. "Didn't you already learn these spells?"Max looked up from the scrolls, a smile forming on his face. "I'm trying to modify these spells," he explained. "Aliana said it can be done, to create new ones by experimenting with the runes and symbols. It's like solving a puzzle.""Yes, I remember," he said. "I also remember her saying that if you make a mistake you can make a big problem.""Yes, but…" Max replied, "This one is a basic fire spell, I bought it in the village a couple of days ago. But if I change this rune here, and add this symbol there…" a small flame appeared above his hand, flickering and dancing in the air.Snickers clapped his hands in delight. "That's incredible, Max!"Max's smile grew wider. "Thanks, Snickers. It's all about understanding the flow of magic and how these runes interact, which is hard because I have no knowledge of that. With a bit of practice, I think I can create some powerful spells. This one, for example, drains my mana slowly as long as I use it, if I can change something or add something else, I think I can make a flamethrower.""A what?" Snickers asked."You'll see when I do it, hard to explain really.""If you don't blow yourself up first."Max just looked at him, and then they both laughed.Early in the morning, Max and Snickers continued their journey as the forest slowly disappeared around them and more open landscapes appeared. The King's Road slowly transitioned from packed dirt to a more greener surface.Before long, they were standing at the edge of The Golden Plains.Max and Snickers gazed in awe at the sight before them. The Golden Plains stretched out as far as the eye could see, golden color in front of them, except for a couple of farms in some places. The plains were known for their golden wheat fields, and Max enjoyed the view.The wheat moved gently with the breeze, creating ripples that looked like golden waves on a golden ocean."It is beautiful," Max took a deep breath.Snickers nodded, his eyes wide with wonder. "It's like something out of a dream."Birds, that Max had never seen before, with colorful feathers flew in the air, their songs beautiful to listen to. Small animals rushed through the wheat, barely visible.They could see a village in the distance. The village, a handful of cottages, and a small marketplace looked cozy and safe enough for them to go and check it out.When they entered the village, they were greeted by the friendly smiles of the villagers, who went about their daily tasks.Max and Snickers made their way to the heart of the village, where a large inn stood. A sign above the door read "The Golden Grain."Inside, the inn was warm and cozy. The scent of baked bread and roasting meat filled their nostrils, making their stomach roar. Max and Snickers found a table near the fireplace and sat down."Welcome travelers! What can I get for you today?" the innkeeper asked them with a smile on his face.Max looked at the menu written on a chalkboard behind the bar. "Two ales please, and some of that meat and bread."The innkeeper nodded and soon returned with two big mugs of ale and the meal. "Here you go, lads. This is our special brew, made with wheat from the plains and a blend of secret spices. Best ale you'll ever taste, I guarantee it."Max took a small sip, and his eyes widened in surprise. The ale was rich with flavors that danced on his tongue. "This is incredible!" he said taking another sip.Snickers, who had been eyeing his mug suspiciously, took an even smaller sip and then a larger one until he drank it all. "Wow, this is really good! One more please!"Drinking ale was the last thing Max remembered the next morning when he woke up cuffed by a dungeon wall.