Ezra walked cautiously through the glowing forest, his senses sharper than ever. Every rustle of leaves or distant animal cry made him grip the hilt of his sword tighter. The luminous vegetation around him provided light, but it also cast eerie shadows that made his imagination run wild.
"This place is something else," he muttered, stepping over a large root. "It's beautiful, sure, but I'd rather not meet anything bigger than that wolf. Not yet, anyway."
The forest was dense, the canopy overhead filtering the rising sunlight into soft golden rays. Ezra paused occasionally to examine the flora, trying to solidify his bearings. He spotted more Azureweave Blossoms and a patch of glowing, star-shaped flowers he recognized as Moonlit Violets.
"Yeah, definitely the Glimmergrove," he said, nodding to himself. "Everhearth Village should be close, just past the edge of the forest. Maybe another hour or two on foot."
As he walked, he heard the faint sound of wheels creaking and voices in the distance. Ezra froze, instincts kicking in. He crouched low, peering through the trees.
"Is that… a caravan?"
Through the foliage, he spotted a group of travelers. A wooden cart piled with goods trundled along a narrow dirt path, pulled by a pair of stout, deer-like creatures with antlers that glowed faintly. Several figures surrounded the cart, some armed with swords, others with bows.
Ezra hesitated. "Could be dangerous. Bandits posing as merchants, maybe. But if they're legit… I might be able to get some information."
After a moment's deliberation, he stepped onto the path, keeping his hands visible and his sword sheathed. "Hey there!" he called, his voice echoing slightly in the quiet forest.
The group stopped abruptly, several of them turning toward him. A tall man with a weathered face and a bow slung over his shoulder stepped forward, his hand resting casually on the hilt of his blade.
"Who's there?" the man called, his tone cautious but not hostile.
Ezra raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "Just a traveler. I mean no harm. Saw your caravan and thought I'd say hello."
A middle-aged woman sitting on the cart, likely the merchant, narrowed her eyes at him. "A lone traveler, armed to the teeth, wandering the Glimmergrove? Suspicious, don't you think?"
Ezra forced a friendly smile. "Fair point. Name's Kaelion. I'm just passing through, trying to get to Everhearth Village. Figured you might know the way."
The man studied him for a moment before nodding. "Everhearth's not far. We're headed there ourselves. If you're looking to tag along, we could use an extra pair of eyes. These woods can be dangerous."
Ezra's shoulders relaxed. "I'd be happy to help. Ran into a Stalker Wolf earlier, so I know how dangerous it can be."
A younger woman armed with a spear stepped forward, her expression skeptical. "You fought a Stalker Wolf alone? And lived?"
Ezra shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Got lucky. Took a few hits, but I managed."
The woman exchanged glances with the others, then nodded grudgingly. "All right. Stick close, but don't try anything funny."
As Ezra walked alongside the caravan, he took the opportunity to observe his new companions. The group consisted of four guards, the merchant woman, and a quiet, robed figure sitting at the back of the cart, likely a mage.
"So," Ezra began, addressing the merchant, "how far is Everhearth from here?"
"About an hour," she replied. "We should reach it by midday, assuming nothing delays us."
"And what's the village like?" he asked, trying to glean as much information as possible.
"Small but lively," the merchant said. "Traders pass through often, and there's a decent tavern. The kind of place where news spreads fast."
Ezra nodded. "Sounds like a good place to restock and get some information."
As they walked, the caravan guards kept a close watch on their surroundings, their weapons at the ready. Ezra stayed alert, too, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"So," the younger guard said, glancing at him. "Kaelion, was it? What brings you through the Glimmergrove alone?"
Ezra hesitated. "Long story. Let's just say I got... separated from my group."
The guard raised an eyebrow but didn't press further.
As the forest began to thin, the dirt path widened, and the sunlight grew stronger. Ezra could see the edge of the Glimmergrove in the distance, where open fields and rolling hills awaited.
"Almost there," the merchant said with relief. "Stay sharp. The edge of the forest is where ambushes are most likely."
Ezra nodded, his grip tightening on his sword. Despite the relative calm of the journey so far, he couldn't shake the feeling that something or someone was watching them.
"Just one quiet walk," he muttered to himself. "That's all I'm asking for."
But deep down, he knew better. In a world like this, peace never lasted long.