Kai had barely been able to sleep the night before, but now, with all the excitement building up within him, it was hard to sit still. The world outside his window was always small: the fields of Elaris and familiar faces in his village. But today was different. Today, he was leaving that small world behind. He wolfed down his breakfast, but his mind was miles a minute with visions of Havenbrook: a place of stories he had only heard the traveling men speak about, and sometimes, when the evenings were still enough, in Eldrin's tales.
Outside, Lia was already waiting, her foot tapping impatiently. She was practically bouncing as he came out. "Finally! I thought I'd have to drag you out of bed," she teased, her eyes shining with the same excitement he felt.
Kai grinned, rolling his eyes. "Not a chance! I barely slept—I kept dreaming about what Havenbrook might look like."
Before them stood the carriage, strong but worn, its wooden frame painted with faded patterns. Eldrin sat at the reins, his broad shoulders steady as he adjusted his seat, and beside him was Aurelia, serene as ever. She smiled warmly at the two of them as they clambered onto the carriage.
As the wheels creaked and the journey started, Kai leaned out of the window, eyes scanning every detail of the world rolling past them. The fields of Elaris were slipping away fast, replaced by winding paths and rolling hills. A sense of wonder settled over him, like he was part of a story unfolding with every turn of the road.
Eldrin's voice cut through his mind. "Three hours to Havenbrook by carriage," he said over his shoulder. "Enough time for you two to gawk at the scenery and maybe learn a thing or two."
Kai smiled, though he wondered if three hours would be enough to take it all in. He'd never gone further than Elaris, and now, every tree, every bend in the path, every distant figure on the road felt like discovery.
"This world is so much bigger than I thought," he whispered, half to himself. He felt as though he was peering through a keyhole his whole life and now the door had finally swung open.
Beside him, Lia's face pressed to the window equally fascinated. They passed over farmers and merchants, traveling men on horseback, carts overloaded with wares. There was a whole rhythm of the road he'd never known, and with every glimpse, his thoughts ran.
'If this road alone is so full of life, what must Havenbrook be like?' he wondered. The excitement in his chest mingled with a twinge of nervousness. He knew little of the city—just what he'd picked up from idle conversations and snippets of overheard talk. But the thought of all the people he'd meet, the stories he'd hear, thrilled him.
It came at such a jarring screech that his thoughts were sharply driven from the quiet hum of the road. His head shot forward, and he opened his mouth in amazed horror as, overhead, a colossal bird soared into sight, with wings that shadowed over the carriage roof. Feathers shimmering with blue lightning, and crackling faintly with each flutter, its talons were sharp enough to tear stone.
"What…what is that?" he breathed, not able to look away.
Lia's fingers dug into his arm, her face pale as she stared at the creature in awe and fear. Kai's heart pounded as he watched it, both terrified and fascinated. Upon closer look, he spotted three cloaked figures astride the bird's back, their forms poised and confident as they glided through the sky.
"Look!" cried a merchant by the roadside, pointing up at the great bird. "That's the House of Asher, known for their Lightning Eagle bloodline!"
The words struck Kai with a thrill of recognition. 'So, those are nobles,' he thought, eyes wide. He'd heard stories of the noble houses, but seeing one in person—one with a bloodline so powerful it let them command a beast like this—was something else entirely.
Aurelia noticed their expressions and leaned forward to explain, her voice soft and full of knowledge. "That bird is a Lightning Eagle, a rare creature tied to the Asher family's bloodline. Their heritage grants them command over lightning itself, which flows through their veins as surely as blood."
"Wait…there are other families with bloodlines like this?" Lia asked, her voice trembling with awe.
"Oh, yes," Aurelia said. "The kingdom of Vallaris is ruled by the house of Vallaris. And then there's the Vermilion Bird bloodline, the family claims to have power with fire and is said to be the greatest in the entire realm.".
All this, he just absorbed; his mind was seething with questions. The Vallaris family… and the Asher family…. He felt like a drop in the ocean-the forces he was surrounded with way beyond his thought. He felt humble, but for some reason it made him even curious.
She continued on, showing how interesting they all found it. "The whole kingdom is divided into what are called provinces. All of these are ruled over by a noble house from a specific bloodline. We are now in the province of Hart, which belongs to the noble house of Hart. And within that province comes Havenbrook, which answers to the House of Asher."
He was one with pride intermingled with awe. This was his kingdom—a place of ancient powers, mysterious bloodlines, and noble houses. He'd always thought Elaris was at the center of his life, but now realized how small it was in comparison. The world was big, intricate, and layered with history he barely saw.
As Aurelia spoke, Eldrin remained silent, hands steady on the reins, but his expression tight, almost disdainful. It was something Kai caught on to, the faint furrow in Eldrin's brow, and leaned forward. "Eldrin, is something wrong?"
Eldrin seemed to snap out of his thoughts and quickly schooled his expression. "Nothing, lad," he replied, his voice gruff but nonchalant. "Just focus on what Aurelia's teaching you. This world's more complicated than it appears."
There was something more to Eldrin's reply, but Kai let it go and his eyes wandered back out the window. He saw the view change as the green fields he was used to gradually began to be replaced by hills covered with shrubs and trees. His thoughts were inward again, a mixture of wonder and questions swirling.
If there are noble families with bloodlines like the Lightning Eagle and Vermillion Bird… then what about ordinary people like me?" He clenched his fists tightly, mixed feelings of excitement and determination inside him. He was no noble, nor was he born from any legendary bloodline that he knew of. But he had something just as strong as that—the will to explore, to learn, and to become something more than he was.
As they neared the end of their journey, the view of Havenbrook's towering walls came into view against the morning light. The gates were massive, and soldiers in gleaming armor stood guard, their stern gazes scanning the crowds coming and going.
Raising clouds of dust as they roll along, Kai beats his heart against his chest to see the city outside the gates. He already saw the roofs and street movement and even barely, the spires. This was it. New starts. Doorways open to worlds that, to him, only he dreamed of.
Beside him, Lia's eyes were as wide as his, her face mirroring his wonder and excitement as they finally arrived in Havenbrook. Every heartbeat inside that chest told him it would only be the beginning, something beyond his wildest dreams.