As we walked, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched. I looked around, scanning the trees and the fields, but there was no one in sight. Veronica must have sensed my unease because she walked in step with me, her hand on her sword.

Suddenly, a group of men appeared from the trees, blocking our path. They were dirty and unkempt, with weapons in their hands and malice in their eyes.

“Hand over your money and your valuables,” the leader of the group growled, his voice gruff.

“Vayren chuckled as he handed the man our coin purse. “I’m afraid we don’t really have anything valuable.” 

The leader sneered at Vayren’s words and took a step forward, his sword raised. “I don’t believe you,” he said, his voice menacing.

Before the leader could make another move, Veronica unsheathed her sword and stepped in front of us. “Sorry to disappoint you, but we have nothing. However, I can make a couple of your men’s lives a whole lot worse if that’s what you are after.” Veronica said, her voice cold.

The group of men laughed for a moment before the leader motioned for them to attack. 

“Wait,” I said, holding up my hand. The men paused, looking at me curiously. “We don’t want any trouble,” I continued, my voice calm. “We’re just passing through.”

The leader narrowed his eyes, clearly not believing me. “And why should we believe you?” he spat.

“Because we are three children,” Vayren spoke up, standing beside me. “We’re just young travelers trying to get to Lethandersberg. We have no quarrel with you.”

The leader hesitated for a moment before lowering his sword. “Fine, but next time we meet, don’t expect us to be so kind,” he warned before turning and disappearing back into the trees with his men in tow.

As soon as they were out of sight, Veronica let out a sigh of relief. “That was close,” she said, sheathing her sword. I nodded in agreement, my heart still pounding.

Due to the delay from the bandits, we traveled through the night to make up for lost time. The dark enveloped us as night fell, and our steps became clumsy as we stumbled through the moonlit overgrowth. The distant howls of something Vayren referred to as taretta hounds filled the night. Though we heard them, we luckily didn’t run into any. 

As we finally reached the outskirts of Lethandersberg, the first rays of dawn began to peek over the horizon. We were exhausted and hungry, but relief washed over us as we saw the city gates in the distance.

As we approached the gates, a guard stopped us and demanded to know our business in the city. We explained our journey, and the twins shared travel papers, and after a brief inspection, they were allowed to enter. I, on the other hand, was stopped by the guard. 

“What about him?” the guard asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

Veronica stepped forward, “He’s with us. He lost his papers on the road. Would you please let him pass just this once?” Veronica pleaded.

The guard hesitated for a moment before nodding and allowing me to pass. I felt a sense of gratitude towards Veronica for standing up for me.

The city was bustling with activity: merchants hawking their wares, travelers rushing to their destinations, and beggars pleading for coins. The smell of roasting meat and freshly baked bread wafted through the air, making our stomachs growl in hunger.

We made our way to the inn, a modest establishment with a warm fire and a friendly innkeeper. We ordered a hearty meal and enjoyed the comfort of a soft bed after our long and arduous journey. As we lounged in the common room, Vayren and Veronica filled me in on the customs.

Lethandersberg was founded by a paranoid Nobel who feared the demon king would push through the former Caresian border town of Lethander In order to storm the capitol. His fears never came true, but that didn’t stop him from moving to the coast and creating a fortified city to live out his days. While the city is fortified, the guard has gotten lazy due to the longstanding peace that Caresian has experienced since the passing of the demon king whose domain borders them to the northeast.

As we finished our meal, a cloaked figure entered the inn, his face obscured by the hood. He walked purposefully towards us, his steps confident. 

“Excuse me,” he said, his voice low. “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation.”

Veronica and Vayren tensed up at the stranger’s words, their hands instinctively going to their weapons. I, on the other hand, felt a sense of curiosity towards the stranger. 

“What do you want?” Veronica asked, her voice guarded.

The stranger ignored her question and turned to me, his eyes piercing. “You’re looking for answers, aren’t you?” he said, his voice low, trembling with despair.

I felt a chill run down my spine at the stranger’s words. How did he know? 

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice shaky.

The stranger was tall, his head almost scraping the ceiling. He pulled back his hood, revealing a handsome face with sharp features and dull brown eyes. On top of his head was a mop-like mess of black hair. “My name is Cacyier. I hail from the homeland northeast of here, demon-kin,” He said with a subtle accent and a Suave wink.