The sun slowly rose into the sky, casting its warm light through the window and illuminating Rion's face. He stretched slightly before tucking his wand (stick) into his belt.
"Alright then, time to get going," he said to himself with a smile before heading downstairs to the inn's lobby. There, waiting for him, was none other than Lie.
"Morning, Rion." She said with a smile.
"Morning, Lie. Want to grab some breakfast before we go?"
Lie nodded, and the two made their way to the cafeteria, enjoying a hearty meal before checking out of their rooms and returning their keys. Once that was done, they stepped outside, greeted by the crisp morning air.
"So, where to?" Rion asked, resting his hands on his hips.
"Well, we have two options." Lie said, putting up two fingers.
"Oh? What are they?"
"North of here, there's a lift that can take us down the plateau," Lie explained.
"That doesn't sound like a bad option at all."
"You'd be right, but if we take the lift, we'll have to circle around the entire plateau to reach Waneir."
"Ah, that sounds annoying."
Lie nodded. "Yup. Our other option is to head west and take the stairs."
"…The stairs?" Rion raised an eyebrow.
"Yup. Aside from the north, each side of the plateau has a long staircase heading downward. If we go that way, we'll save a decent amount of time instead of going north for the lift and doubling back around."
"Hmm, both sound annoying, but let's take the stairs! Time is of the essence!" Rion declared.
"I-Is it really? I didn't know you were in a rush." Lie said, a suprised look on her face.
"…Well, I'm not, but—man, let's just go."
—
With that, they set off toward the western side of the plateau, following a lone dirt path. On either side, lush green grass stretched out for miles, swaying gently in the breeze. Along the way, they spotted cows and sheep grazing peacefully. Slimes also dotted the landscape. And Lie was forced to stop Rion from killing them multiple times. They even passed by a some houses and a few farms on the way.
Eventually after about an hour of walking, they finally reached a large threshold. To its side sat a small building with an open counter, where a guard was stationed. As Rion and Lie approached, the guard gave them a casual wave.
"You heading out?" he asked.
"Yes," Lie replied with a nod.
The guard smiled. "In that case, have a good day! Oh, and be careful going down those stairs—you wouldn't want to take a tumble."
Lie let out a soft laugh. "Haha, we'll be careful."
After exchanging goodbyes with the guard they stepped past the threshold. A short flight of stairs led them down to a large platform overlooking the vast landscape below. To their left, another stone staircase spiraled downward, hugging the side of the plateau.
Rion ran up to the edge of the platform, gripping the metal railing. "WOW!" he exclaimed, eyes wide with wonder.
The view was breathtaking—rolling green fields and dense forests stretched out as far as the eye could see. You could even see a village or two off in the far distance.
"Pretty, huh?" Lie said, stepping up beside him.
"Uh-huh!" Rion nodded enthusiastically, his eyes practically sparkling.
They stood there for a moment, taking in the view before Rion exhaled and turned to her.
"Alright, I'm ready to go!"
Lie smiled. "Then, shall we?"
(And thus Rion's adventure continues…)