‘As I said, we are close to our destination so please stay still.’ said Brian

   ‘I was just asking! You don't need to be rude.’

   ‘This is the 513th time you have asked that question… this week.’

   ‘Why you-’

   ‘Cut it out you two.’ The calm reasoned voice of Dylan spoke out.

   ‘Haha. Feisty aren’t ya kids.’ The carriage driver said while laughing. ‘That's good. That's good. Youngins such as yourselves should be full of energy.’

   The group had been travelling via this gentleman’s carriage for a few weeks now. And for some reason the driver seemed to be the only one enjoying this situation.

   Dylan leaned against the side and gave out an exhausted sigh. Their party consisted of the tall, barbarian, brawler Brian; the short, petite, support mage Clara and the swordsman Dylan himself. And he had been stuck in the carriage with Clara and Brian for all this time, too much time, and though they were good friends, their constant bickering was beginning to drive him insane.

   Just then, as if sent as a divine gift to his sanity, the driver said to him.

‘No need to look so down young man. We have almost reached our destination. Why, you can see the clearing right ahead.’

   He was right. In front of them the forest was starting to thin until it disappeared leaving an open clearing and one small wooden wall in the middle that protected a small little town.

   They had finally reached their destination. The furthest frontier, the goal of the most daring pioneers, the newest colony, Solstun.

   The carriage now travelled through the clearing and approached the back gate of the town. Like most new towns, it was protected using a circular wooden barricade and a ditch. Beyond the wall there was a small clearing to give a good view on any approaching animals. The town has two gates on opposite sides and ironically the gate through which most people first approach the town is called the back gate. In a pioneer town, the front gate is always the one that is aimed at the unknown.

   As the carriage entered through the back gate the driver shared some nice words with people there. He was regular to this town after all. Trading, delivering food and supplies and bringing in new pioneers was just part of his routine but for the other three this could be considered the most important day of his life.

   He parked the carriage in front of the well in the middle of the town where the other three started to disembark.

   ‘We are finally here!’ said Clara with a smile on her face while excitedly jumping off the carriage.

   ‘Well, it has been fun kids but here is where we say goodbye.’

   ‘Thank you mister for everything’

    ‘Eh. Don’t mention it. Now have fun and beware of the witch’

    ‘Are you still on about that campfire story?’

   He laughed a little and then with a sudden ominous shift in tone he said, ‘That is not just a story. It is reality. Many young men have been lured into the dangerous forest by that witch. They are attracted by her angel-like face and clothes. I hear that she is always spotless despite living in this dense forest. So many have nearly died and god knows how many actually did. Poisonous animals in the forest avoid her and if you are smart you will avoid her too.’

   With that the man rode off to sell his wares to the craftsmen in the town.

   Well The group was unsure how to take the parting words of the old man but at last they collectively agreed that the witch of Novaria was just a cautionary tale among pioneers. With that settled they focused on the town itself.

   Despite its lofty titles among pioneers, it was still just a series of wooden houses erected haphazardly. Most were probably erected within a day. The town square building and a few craftsman and herbalist shops were the only structures that even pretended to have any sort order to them and even those would probably need to be demolished and rebuilt once the town grew bigger.

 ‘It seems like they have built more wooden houses than we expected,’ Clara noted. ‘Where are our loggings anyway? I am so very tired.’

  ‘Are you ever not tired, Miss?’ Brian asked with an emotionless voice.

  ‘Don’t you start, mister.’

  ‘Yeah, don’t start Brian. We have had a long journey. She deserves some rest.’ Dylan said, cutting the argument short.

  ‘Ok. Yes, we should probably rest up a bit,’ said Bryan.’Let us go to the town hall and find out where our loggings are.’

  ‘You two go ahead. I will look around a bit then head back’ said Dylan

  ‘Why, don't you want to rest up as well?’

 ‘And continue being a third wheel between you two, no thanks.’, Dylan replied.

  ‘Huh, what does that mean?’, Brian asked 

   ’Don’t play dumb and besides, I want to scope out the area before our first expedition.’ Dylan said.

  ‘Ok, but be careful of the witch.’ Clara said.

   ‘Don’t you start as well.’ 

   ‘Brian let's go already. I want to lie down on a warm bed right now.’ Clara said while dragging a very confused Brian with her.

  With that the friends parted ways.While Brian and Clara were going to town hall, Dylan noted to himself that Clara didn’t even try to deny that he was being a third wheel. 

   Novaria was a new continent discovered about seven decades ago. Ever since that day it had been a race to see who could unearth the most secrets and make a name for themselves. Pioneers like Dylan and his party would travel in search of adventures and riches.

   They had met in Tallen, a port town and the current de facto capital of this new land, a month ago and after becoming quick friends had collectively decided to try their luck by moving to one of the furthest frontiers in the new world. It seemed like a good idea back then but he had regretted it ever since. The bumpy road, the constant movement, the occasional attacks by bandits and beasts and last but certainly not the least his so called friends.

   Their endless arguments were almost as annoying as the fact that Clara had the most obvious crush on Brian despite the fact that there was such a handsome man named Dylan just there. And the only one braindead enough to not realize it was Brian himself.

  Dylan let out an audible sigh as he looked at the barren roads leading to one of the gates into the forest. This place was so different from his hometown. There were no bustling bazaars, no shops, no children or busy families, no beggars on the streets, only ambitious pioneers looking to make a name for themselves.

  It was common knowledge that further out a pioneer village was the more dangerous it was. But with that danger came promises of untold riches. If he could just make a name for himself here then maybe finally…

  ‘Ouch! I am so sorry I didn't mean to bump into you’ Dylan had barely felt anything when a high pitched voice started apologizing to him profusely. 

   There in front of him stood an absolutely stunning woman. She had an angelic face with blond hair, blue eyes. She was wearing a flowing white frock with a belt around her waist to carry a small bag. And most striking of all there wasn't a single spot of imperfection on her to the point that it looked like she was sparkling.

   ‘I am so so sorry about that. I wasn't looking and I just…’ the woman began.

   ‘Ah, don't worry about it. I barely even felt it.’ he replied truthfully.

   ‘Still, I should have been more careful, mister…’ She trailed off while staring at his face.

   ‘The name is Dylan.’

   ‘Ah! You must be new here. Where are you from? I am Millie by the way.’

   ‘Nice to meet you Millie. I am from Chrolen in the kingdom of Veloniya’

   ‘Chrolen! You are from the capital? Are you like some sort of royalty?’

   ‘We were fairly well off but I wouldn't go that far.’

   ‘How come you are here then? I thought only poor people from the outskirts came to try their luck here.’

   ‘I have something that I am searching for here. Think of it as a call of destiny’.

   ‘Oh really. Must be quite important if you are willing to throw away a life in the capital to come here. Can you tell me what it is?’

   ‘I am afraid I can't.’

   While he talked elegantly about his “call of destiny” like a hero on a mission, his inner mind was anything but elegant.