*crack…! *snap…! *crunch…!
The sound of snaps and crunch filled the air as Elyn sat around a modest campfire she had built earlier with dry twigs and broken bark.
Meryn, her horse, lay just behind her, legs tucked awkwardly but comfortably beneath her body, while her mouth moved rhythmically, munching on an assortment of fruits that Elyn had gathered nearby and laid in front of her.
The flames flickered gently in the breeze, casting long shadows that danced along the trees and rocks surrounding the small clearing they had stopped in for the night.
Whilst sitting with one knee raised, Elyn took the quiet moment to bring out the map that was given to her by Drevyn.
She unfolded it carefully, the worn parchment crackling under her fingers, and her eyes scanned the faded markings and symbols printed in black ink.
Her gaze slowly moved down towards the bottom of the map where she spotted the words "City of Karion," the very city she had just departed from that morning.
"Next would be…" she muttered, her finger tracing along a thin line that curved away from Karion, winding through what was marked by a mass of inked trees.
"The forest of Evonjak…"
She spoke under her breath, the name leaving a slight chill in her voice as she rolled the parchment back into a tight coil and slid it beneath her cloak once more.
With a short sigh, she leaned forward and grabbed a few dry sticks beside her boot, tossing them one by one into the fire.
Each piece snapped and hissed as it caught flame, adding a warm glow to her face, though her expression remained cold and unreadable.
Her eyes shifted to Meryn who continued to eat calmly, head bobbing slightly with each bite.
The black mare looked somewhat less fragile in the firelight, though her ribs still pressed visibly beneath her coat.
Elyn watched her for a moment, then leaned back slightly, resting her arms on her knees.
"Looks like we'll be riding starting tomorrow, Meryn," she said, her voice soft, almost tired, but steady.
The horse gave no reply—only another slow munch of the fruits laid in front of the horse.
With another throw of the final stick into the crackling fire, Elyn stood up and reached for both of her swords that lay just a few inches away, resting against a nearby rock.
She crouched briefly, her gloved hands wrapping around the hilts with practiced ease, before she straightened again with a quiet exhale.
With a swift, fluid motion, she unsheathed the sword she had just bought from the blacksmith earlier that day,
*shhht!
the steel whispering from its scabbard as it came into view.
She held it up slightly, turning her wrist slowly as she inspected the frame of the blade.
Her eyes moved with quiet calculation, shifting from the hilt—still clean and unmarred—toward the ending point of the sword.
The blade gleamed faintly under the firelight, reflecting each flicker and spark in its polished surface like a pool of silent silver.
"The blacksmith knows his stuff," Elyn said softly, giving a small nod before sheathing the sword completely in one smooth motion.
She sat down once more and placed another sword gently on her lap, laying it beside the other sword—tightly wrapped in dark cloth.
Her gaze dropped, lingering on the older sword, her brows slightly furrowed.
She brought one hand over it, her fingers moving slowly across the wrapped length, brushing the contours through the cloth, tracing each familiar edge and line.
It was a sword that had followed her through countless battles, its weight something she remembered not just with her hands, but with her entire body.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment, her hand still gently resting on the blade, her mind flickering back to the many memories it carried—flashes of blood, steel, and the sound of screams mixed with the ringing of clashing weapons.
A quiet sigh escaped her lips, almost silent as it faded into the night.
"Not yet. Not now," she muttered under her breath, barely audible.
Her hand withdrew as she opened her eyes again, the faint glint of fire reflected in her pale gaze.
Without another word, she placed both swords just beside a stone, within reach yet untouched—at least for now.
Elyn then stood, brushing the dust from her cloak as she took a few quiet steps away from the bonfire, the warmth of the flames slowly fading behind her.
She moved to where Meryn was laying, her legs bent beneath her, the mare still lazily chewing on the fruits placed before her.
Without a word, Elyn leaned her back against a tree just behind Meryn, letting out a soft breath as she slid down to the ground and sat beside her companion.
Meryn snorted at the sight of her, ears twitching slightly, her dark eyes fixed on Elyn's face with a calm gaze that almost felt... thankful.
Elyn extended her hand slowly, fingers brushing against the rough strands of Meryn's mane, then settling along the smooth warmth of her neck.
*snort!
The horse let out another quiet snort, this time nudging into Elyn's hand with a quiet trust that hadn't been there before.
A slight smile curled on the corner of Elyn's lips—barely noticeable, but it was there.
In that brief moment, there was no need for words.
No past, no future.
Just the bond slowly forming in the stillness of the night, the quiet breath of the horse beside her, and the fire's dying warmth flickering just a few feet away.
After a few minutes of stillness, Elyn slowly closed her eyes and crossed her legs, beginning the quiet process of meditation she had long made a habit of before sleep.
She steadied her breath.
Inhaled.
Exhaled.
Letting the rhythm guide her into calmness, even as the distant howls of wolves and the chirping of night birds echoed faintly in the background.
The fire crackled behind her.
Leaves rustled far away.
And slowly, even those sounds faded—until only the beat of her breath remained, the sensation of her blood, and the dark current that always stirred deep within her.
The corrupted power she carried—the one that clawed at the edge of her mind—twitched with each breath she took.
But she controlled it.
Focused.
Each exhale pushed the storm back, buried it deeper, until it no longer clawed at her veins and she could rest peacefully within her mind's silence.
Time passed without her knowing.
Seconds melting into minutes, minutes becoming hours.
And then the first light of dawn bled through the gaps of the canopy, its warmth brushing against her cheek.
Her eyes slowly opened.
Meryn was already on her hooves, her dark mane swaying lightly as she snorted and gently stomped at the ground, restless, ready.
Elyn pushed herself up with a soft grunt, brushing the dirt from her side as she stretched out her limbs, still quiet from the long night.
She glanced toward the fire and gave it a short kick, scattering the last bits of flame and ember into harmless ash before beginning to pack her belongings with practiced ease.
"Very well, let's not waste any more time shall we?" she muttered softly, mostly to herself as she gave Meryn a nod.
With steady hands, she secured her pack and adjusted her weapons before gripping the saddle.
The leather creaked as she hoisted herself up, one leg swinging over, the other securing her balance.
She leaned forward briefly and patted Meryn's neck, her fingers lingering just a moment longer than needed.
"Let's go."
With a snap of the reins and a loud, "Haah!" Elyn gave the signal.
Meryn neighed in response and broke into a brisk trot, hooves thudding rhythmically against the soil-packed road.
Moments later, the trot became a canter, and then, a full gallop.
The wind rushed past them, carrying the scent of wild trees and distant rain.
Ahead, the forest of Evonjak loomed—massive and endless, stretching across the horizon like a sea of dark green.
It was a place feared by many, its lands crawling with twisted creatures and monsters that had claimed it as their own.
No one crossed it without danger.
And yet, it was the only path west.
That forest stood as a natural wall, cutting off the city of Karion from everything that lay beyond.
It was a challenge.
A warning.
And a gateway.
Elyn said nothing as she rode, her gaze steady, her hands firm on the reins.
Meryn galloped forward without hesitation.
Together, they raced toward the wild unknown.