The morning sun peeked over the horizon, casting a golden glow over the forest. Hugo was already awake, sitting on a nearby rock, playing his harmonica—the same haunting melody from before. Stella stretched as she got up, noticing Lena doing the same while Ethan was still curled up in his blanket.
"Morning," Lena greeted, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
Stella nodded. "Morning… you'd think after all that excitement yesterday, I'd sleep like a rock."
Lena chuckled. "Tell me about it."
Hugo stopped playing and stood up. "We should get moving. Ironfang Village isn't far now."
Stella walked over to Ethan and nudged him awake. "Come on, time to go."
Ethan groaned but sat up, blinking. "Huh? Oh! Right! Ironfang!" He quickly gathered his things, his excitement returning.
The group packed up their camp and continued their journey. As they walked, the dense forest slowly gave way to open paths, and in the distance, they could see smoke trails—signs of civilization.
"Ironfang Village is famous for its blacksmiths, right?" Stella asked.
"Yeah," Hugo replied. "They specialize in Arc-Weapons. If you need repairs or modifications, this is the place to be."
Lena glanced at her Arc-Gun. "Maybe I could get some upgrades…"
As they got closer, the village came into view—stone buildings with forge chimneys releasing steady streams of smoke into the sky. The streets were busy with blacksmiths hammering away at weapons, traders shouting out their goods, and villagers going about their daily lives. It was a lively and thriving place, untouched by the chaos of the Dominion.
Ethan's eyes sparkled. "Whoa… this place is awesome!"
Hugo smirked. "Welcome to Ironfang Village."
With that, the group stepped into the bustling town, ready for whatever awaited them next.
As they walked through the village, Ethan and Lena came to a stop at a crossroads.
"This is where we split," Lena said, adjusting her Arc-Gun on her back. "We still have leads to follow about our dad."
Ethan looked a little reluctant to part ways. "Are you sure we can't stick together a little longer?" he asked, glancing at Hugo.
Hugo smirked. "We've got our own business to take care of. But who knows? Our paths might cross again."
Lena nodded. "Yeah. If you ever need anything, just ask around. We'll be in town for a while."
Stella gave them a small smile. "Good luck finding your father."
"You too," Lena replied. "Whatever you two are up to, stay safe."
With that, Lena and Ethan turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Hugo and Stella to continue toward their own objective.