Lucian went back to his carriage and prepared to leave the capital. He stocked up on food and water from stalls and vendors, fed the horse, and made his way to the exit. The soldiers checked his carriage and ID before letting him through.
Lucian felt relieved to finally leave that cage of a city, no longer surrounded by hidden guards watching his every move.
But the words of the mysterious lady still lingered in his mind. "What do the sun and moon represent? What did she mean about greed and betrayal?" Lucian was confused and lost in thought, brainstorming for answers. Unable to figure it out at the moment, he set the thought aside and focused on the journey ahead.
A fellow carriage and a nice meal
The mountain path was steep, and he climbed steadily, eager to reach the top and glimpse the landscape beyond.
As it grew dark, Lucian considered stopping for the night. Just then, he saw another carriage approaching. Its driver was a boy who looked a little older than him. Lucian asked if he'd like to set up camp together, reasoning that it was safer to stay in a group in an unfamiliar area.
The boy agreed, and they both began preparing the camp.
"I'm Lucian. Nice to meet you!"
"Ard. Nice to meet you, too."
"Heading to the capital?" Lucian asked.
"Yes, I'm transporting some goods."
"You?" Ard asked in return.
"I'm traveling the world and planning to visit Ironclad after the capital."
"Oh, that sounds amazing! Why did you decide to travel?"
"I felt inexperienced and wanted to see what the world has to offer."
"That's really admirable!" Ard replied.
"It's getting dark; we should cook dinner now," Lucian suggested.
"Yeah, something warm would be great. It tends to get chilly here."
"Sure. I'll cook. Will a warm pork stew with vegetables work?"
"That sounds excellent!"
Lucian started a fire, placed a pot on it, prepared the ingredients, and began cooking while Ard tended to the horses.
The aroma of the food soon drew Ard toward Lucian. "You're quite a good cook! It smells delightful."
"Thanks. I worked as a cook before setting out on this journey." Lucian handed him a bowl of stew.
"Wow! This is amazing! I could eat this every day!" Ard exclaimed.
"Glad you like it," Lucian replied with a smile.
A Mystery.?
After finishing the meal, they sat down for a chat.
"Tell me some interesting things about Ironclad," Lucian asked.
"Ironclad is hotter than most cities, and the air smells of molten metal," Ard explained.
"Really? I heard in the capital that someone was caught researching Automara. Is it true?"
"Yes, it's true," Ard replied. "He was caught and immediately taken to the capital."
"Any other interesting bits of information you've heard?"
"Yeah, there's a village on the route from the capital to Ironclad. It's always enveloped in mist, and no one lives there. Travelers call it Vapora, the Village of Mist."
"It's said to look fine from a distance, but as you get closer, the rotten wood and crumbling houses come into view."
"That sounds mysterious. Is there any more information about the place?"
"Unfortunately, no. It's been a long time since anyone's heard anything new about it. It's mostly mentioned in books and used as a story to scare children and keep them from wandering too far."
"Yeah, it might just be a myth."
"It's quite likely," Ard admitted. "But it'd still be awesome to visit a place like that—mysterious and unexplained!"
"Yeah, it would," Lucian agreed.
"We should sleep now—it's getting late."
"Good night," Lucian said.
The night passed peacefully, and the chirping of birds woke them at dawn. They made a light breakfast with hot tea, taking in the full beauty of nature. The trees waved in the cool breeze, and the birds sang joyfully. It was a serene moment, one they wished could last forever.
But with limited daylight and much distance still to cover, they packed up and prepared to part ways.
"I wish I could enjoy your cooking again," Ard said wistfully.
"Next time we meet, I'll make you something even better," Lucian promised.
"I'll be waiting! By the way, there's a village not too far ahead where you can restock if you need to."
"Thanks. See you later."
They went their separate ways, each carrying their own burdens and challenges.
After traveling for a while, Lucian reached the top of the mountain and saw Ironclad in the distance. Befitting its name, it looked like a massive metal fortress. Unlike the capital, it gave off a sense of security.
But the Automara in the background overshadowed it, its impenetrable dome a reminder of the mysteries that lay ahead.
Lucian touched the ring on his finger, remembering the memory that had brought him here. He felt thankful to his parents for guiding him to this journey—it was far better than merely working as a cook for someone else.
Not wanting to waste time, Lucian began his descent into the vast forest. Alert to the possibility of wild animals, he moved cautiously.
By the time he was halfway down, it was getting dark again. Lucian set up a campfire and prepared a meal before resting for the night.
The next morning, he awoke to a surprise: the entire area was shrouded in dense mist. While mist wasn't unusual, it was rare to see it this thick at this time of year.
Continuing his descent, Lucian eventually reached a village. Thinking it was the one Ard had mentioned, he headed toward it.
The place looked large but was hard to see clearly through the mist. As he got closer, he noticed the houses were rotting, and some had completely collapsed. The village was overrun with weeds and plants, clearly abandoned for a long time.
That's when it hit him: he had stepped into Vapora, the Village of Mist.
Lucian decided to investigate further. Following the trail of another carriage he saw earlier, he pressed on.
The path was long and seemingly endless, but then he noticed flashing lights in the mist.
Curious, Lucian moved toward the light and found a structure hidden in the forest. It was a cave, but not a natural one. The entrance and design suggested it was man-made.