Chapter 3
Leon loved that experience; the adrenaline he felt while fighting the giant was exhilarating. He wanted more, and he wanted to discover things his grandfather hadn't, see mythical creatures his grandfather couldn't, and to start by first moving the giant's body.
Leon tried and failed to push the giant's body; besides, it was starting to stink.
Leon asked the villagers for help with burying/moving the giant's body. After a day or two, Leon walks into town with a cart of his plants and some cattle to sell. The first few items are what he needs for the farm, but a map caught his eye, and he bought it.
He decides to do what his grandfather didn't dare to do, and explore the unknown world, even if it would feel normal to Leon anyway.
Leon plans his route for the next town, Jersey City Mining Co.
This town is only 4 hours south of his town, not much of a long journey, but it'll still be a long run even with his magic active.
Leon packed the essentials, or what he considered the bare minimum: an old stick with plant-like roots on it, something his grandfather called a toothbrush, a strange minty liquid that he could sell for major money, or at least what his grandfather told him.
Clothes, sleeping bag, soap, oddities his grandfather gave him before he passed…
So, Leon now sets out, following the map exactly, just fields… like his farmland, but not tilled, different, the fog isn't hard, at least not a lot of it, it appears the fog really only appears in places where animals, or humans are, of course Leon sees many mythical animals most staying away from Leon but the occasional brave creature steps up before getting tossed to the dirt.
Leon sees a sign 1 mile out from the town: "Warning, Steep slope ahead."
He assumes nothing of it, continuing to run without much care in the world.
A few minutes later, he tries to take another step, but he doesn't touch the ground.
Instead, he starts tumbling down the dirt slide, the dirt soft, but it doesn't crumble as he slams into it.
The townspeople laugh at him, and others laugh while extending a hand to help him. He continues to tumble, the locals still laughing at him, he's not the first one to end up like this, and hopefully not the last.
Leon slams against a wooden wall, the structure shaking a bit as a result, the locals still laughing but dispersing. Leon lifts himself to his feet as he shakes the remaining dust off him, before taking in the sight.
A massive pit, sloped walls, some old scrap boxes made with whatever they had, that glow with magic as people ascend back to the top of the slope inside of them, two large buildings in the middle of it, with noise and fog coming from the top of it.
Leon looks around before realizing he came here on a whim, and he's starting to get homesick already.