After a two-day journey from the Zephyrus Kingdom, Damian's group finally arrived in the Kingdom of Rivermond.
That afternoon, the city was alive. The sound of gurgling water could be heard from all directions, combined with the bustle of markets and the rumble of magic boats plying the grand canals. Crystal-clear rivers cut through the city, reflecting the midday sun. Boats glided slowly along, while beautiful wooden bridges arched across them, connecting one district to another.
Damian, Liam, Rin, and Tessa walked along the edge of the floating market. The air felt humid yet fresh, filled with the aromas of spices, grilled fish, and baked bread. Damian walked slowly, taking in the scenery. "Wow... this looks like Venice, in Italy," he muttered absently.
Rin turned around with a confused expression. "What's Venice?"
"Uh—I mean, it's really cool," Damian quickly corrected, scratching his head awkwardly.
Several vendors along the street began to notice them. As soon as they saw the Zephyrus Academy uniforms, whispers broke out.
"Those are Zephyrus students, right?"
"The world's number one school… they must be the future greats."
Tessa looked up proudly. "Of course, they're impressed. We're great, and from noble families."
Rin snorted, her tone flat. "Don't make too much noise. We're already conspicuous enough without needing to show off."
They stopped at a fruit stall. Liam examined the apples in the basket and said dryly, "These prices are too high."
The vendor, a portly man in a straw hat, raised an eyebrow. "These are the normal prices!"
"Normal for ripping off tourists, probably," Liam replied calmly, making Tessa stifle a chuckle.
Damian quickly slipped a few extra coins onto the counter. "Come on, don't make trouble."
The vendor accepted the money with a relieved smile, and the transaction was completed without a fuss. Tessa held a red apple in the air with a satisfied smile. "Not bad. In the north, fresh fruit like this is rare."
Rin took a bite of one, her eyes sparkling slightly. "Sweet."
They continued walking along the canal bank into the afternoon, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the water town. As night fell, they decided to stay at a small inn by the river.
After a simple dinner, they retired to their rooms. The sound of the river flowing gently through the windows provided the soundtrack to a long day. The next morning, the journey to Auris Vale would begin—the next stage of their newly begun mission.
After a day's journey from Rivermond, Damian's group finally arrived in the Kingdom of Auris Vale as evening approached.
As they passed through the city's main gate, the scene before them was completely unlike any place they had ever been. Cobblestone streets were lined with tall buildings with metal and glass walls. Giant gears turned on the sides of the buildings, powering steam pipes that stretched along the streets. Thin smoke billowed from the forges and smithy towers, accompanied by the incessant clanging of hammers.
The city felt alive—thriving, loud, and pulsing with the energy of work.
Most of its inhabitants were dwarves. They were short but stocky, with thick beards and work clothes stained with metal. Some were taller than the average dwarf, indicating their varied ancestry. Shining weapons and armor were displayed in the windows of the blacksmith shops, drawing the attention of anyone passing by.
Damian walked slowly through the crowd, his eyes lingering on the neatly arranged weapons in the shop windows. "This place…" he said quietly, almost in awe. "Even ordinary swords look like they are of exquisite quality."
A dwarf blacksmith emerged from his workshop, wiping sweat from his brow. "Children of Zephyrus, huh?" His voice was deep but friendly. He held up a large, intricately carved axe. "Want to see something suitable for a long journey?"
Tessa was immediately captivated by the glint of the metal. Her eyes lit up like a child seeing candy. But before she could speak, Damian quickly restrained her. "We can't bring much. We have a long journey ahead."
The dwarf just laughed. "Heh, that's wise of you."
In the end, they only purchased light equipment—a thick cloak, leather gloves, and a small mana crystal-powered warmer.
Rin looked at her new gloves and smiled slightly. "At least I won't freeze to death."
Liam nodded in satisfaction as he inspected his cloak. "Our journey will be safer. Let's find a place to stay before nightfall."
Damian looked up at the sky, which was starting to turn orange. "This world… is so vast," he murmured.
When he first arrived in Altareon, Auris Vale had only been a passing thought. But now, after seeing Rivermond and this city up close, he began to understand something—each kingdom had its own unique color. The culture, the way of life, even the faces of the people felt different, but they were still part of the same world.
This world wasn't just a place to survive. This world… had to be protected.
After a total of four days of travel from Zephyrus, Damian's group finally arrived at the eastern border as the sun began to dip below the horizon. The sky was a golden orange, and in the center of the rocky plain stood a majestic structure—an inter-regional portal.
Two ancient stone pillars towered, carved with symbols no longer decipherable to modern humans. Between them swirled a swirl of silvery-blue light, casting an ethereal glow in the air. It was like looking into a window into another world.
Tessa swallowed, her eyes widening. "So… this is an inter-regional portal?"
Damian nodded slowly. "Yes. Every major border has a portal like this—east, west, south, and north. No one knows who built them or when they were here. Even the history books of this world never explain their origin."
Rin stepped closer, gazing at the vortex of light with a mixture of awe and nervousness. "Then… who guards it?"
"The kingdoms of each region," Damian replied. "Without these portals, travel between regions could take months. With them, it would take a few days, or even just hours."
Liam shifted his sword and looked at Damian. "You've been through this portal before, Master Damian. Have you forgotten?"
Damian smiled faintly. "Back then, when I was leaving for Zephyrus. But back then, I didn't care about anything other than getting to Zephyrus Academy. Now I realize… this portal is incredibly helpful for everyone's journey."
Tessa stepped forward, her voice filled with excitement. "The way this portal works is simple. We just need to think about the region we want to go to. The portal will automatically direct us to the gate there. So don't lose focus."
Rin immediately straightened, her face slightly panicked. "Y-yes… I know. But if we lose focus, we could be thrown into any region, right?"
Tessa smiled lopsidedly. "So don't get the wrong idea."
The blue light from the portal rippled gently, reflecting in the eyes of the four of them. Damian stood at the front, clutching the Setsu'ryū sheath at his waist tightly. The air around the portal rippled, indicating his magic was active.
"Let's get through this," he said confidently. "After this…we'll reach the north."
Rin, Tessa, and Liam stood behind him, gazing at the swirling light that seemed to intensify.
The four Zephyrus disciples stood before the ancient portal—four small shadows before the giant gate that connected the worlds.
And with determined steps, they moved forward together, penetrating the swirling blue light before them.
The journey to the North had begun.