Nirra and Ellie wiped the tears from their eyes while moving towards their destination, which was the city gates, where a merchant was waiting for them. Along the way, the two met with Ameria, who has a bag that carries her own things. She still wore the white hood with golden accents to hide her identity when traveling.
"Are you two ready?" Ameria said while she walked up to them.
"Yep! I've got all my things ready," Ellie replied while motioning for her bag.
"Ready," replied Nirra, and Ameria noticed the sleeping three-tailed vulpen sleeping on top of her bag.
"Then let's get going. Morning isn't going to last forever." She started walking towards the western gate, crossing the river that split the city into two halves. They then saw the wagon they're supposed to protect beside a horse stable that is very close to the city wall.
Standing beside it was an old man. He had white hair and wore a white top, along with small, rounded glasses. The group can tell he is experienced in being a merchant because of his age. The man noticed their approach and turned towards the group with a friendly smile.
"Good morning. I suppose you are the adventures that are going to escort me to Aeris?" He said with an old, raspy voice.
"Yep, my name is Ellie; the person beside me is my twin sister Nirra; and the hooded girl is the archer Amelia," Ellie introduced as Nirra remembered what Ameria told them earlier while walking towards this location.
"Remember to refer to me as Amelia, to keep my little identity a secret, so we would have the element of surprise if we ever encounter one of those cultists again."
So Nirra would have to always call her Amelia when mentioning her.
"Oh and this is Mofu" Nirra said as she kneeled down a bit so the merchant could see the small vulpen sleeping on her bag.
"Ah, I suppose I should reveal my name as well. You can call me Elias, the old merchant." He walked up to his wagon, which contained an assortment of items such as weapons, tools, and handmade objects such as jars, pots, and vases.
"One of you can ride inside here, and one can be beside me while I steer the carriage, but one has to rent a horse to keep up with us. Our goal is to reach Aeris in three days," he explained as the group nodded and huddled to discuss the positions.
"You two can climb inside; I already rented a horse yesterday," Ameria said while she pointed at the horse she rented.
"Alright, it's decided," Ellie said while shrugging.
"We better get going; daylight is burning," Nirra said as she climbed into the wagon beside the old merchant.
"I'm with you, sis." Ellie also climbed on the board on the back as Ameria mounted the horse she rented.
"Are we ready?" Elias looked back to see Ellie with a thumbs up and Amelia, who was riding on the horse.
"Let's go." Elias then pulled the lasso to tell the two horses in front of them to start moving.
The two horses clopped towards the exit as they felt the wagon shake with their movements. Amelia moved in front of them on her own horse to serve as the first line of defense if they ever got attacked.
The group left the city gates in no time and is on the road toward Aeris. Nirra notified a lot of other merchants that were in line to go inside the town as she looked back to see the line of merchants along with the wall get smaller and smaller with distance. Nirra thought of all the memories she enjoyed there as the town she grew up in slowly went farther and farther away. By that time, it was already nearing midday.
"This is your first time traveling?" Nirra heard Elias say as she turned towards him.
"Yeah, I'm leaving the place where I grew up and my parents, who took care of me and Ellie," Nirra replied as she gazed upon the open road that stretched for miles. Currently, the only things she could see were open fields that were occasionally lined with trees and the mountains when she looked to her left.
"I know that feeling. Heading to the great unknown with only you and your wagon as company." Elias had a nostalgic expression on his face as he looked in front of them.
"At least I have Ellie and Mofu to keep me company," Nirra said.
"Yeah, traveling with family is nothing compared to traveling by yourself," Elias explained as the girl beside him nodded in agreement. It was now midday, and the sun was at its peak as they stopped to have a small break.
While resting at the side of the road, Elias questioned the big elephant in the room about Nirra.
"Say, what's that strange tube you carry around with you?" He pointed at said tube when he turned to Nirra.
"Oh, it's my weapon," Nirra explained briefly.
"How does it work?" he questioned.
"I don't want to explain the details, but I can only say it works," Nirra explained, which left the merchant with more questions than answers. He didn't pursue further thought because it would have been rude to do so.
After a few minutes, they set out again to continue on their journey to the city of Aeris. They traveled through large plains and forests before stopping when the sun started to set.
They set up a campsite and started a small fire. After dinner, Amelia volunteered to be the first watch of the night. Nirra, Ellie, and Elias went into their tents to rest for another long day ahead tomorrow. Mofu went to sleep ontop of Nirra with his small body curled up on the girl.
Nirra and Ellie wiped the tears from their eyes while moving towards their destination, which was the city gates, where a merchant was waiting for them. Along the way, the two met with Ameria, who has a bag that carries her own things. She still wore the white hood with golden accents to hide her identity when traveling.
"Are you two ready?" Ameria said while she walked up to them.
"Yep! I've got all my things ready," Ellie replied while motioning for her bag.
"Ready," replied Nirra, and Ameria noticed the sleeping three-tailed vulpen sleeping on top of her bag.
"Then let's get going. Morning isn't going to last forever." She started walking towards the western gate, crossing the river that split the city into two halves. They then saw the wagon they're supposed to protect beside a horse stable that is very close to the city wall.
Standing beside it was an old man. He had white hair and wore a white top, along with small, rounded glasses. The group can tell he is experienced in being a merchant because of his age. The man noticed their approach and turned towards the group with a friendly smile.
"Good morning. I suppose you are the adventures that are going to escort me to Aeris?" He said with an old, raspy voice.
"Yep, my name is Ellie; the person beside me is my twin sister Nirra; and the hooded girl is the archer Amelia," Ellie introduced as Nirra remembered what Ameria told them earlier while walking towards this location.
"Remember to refer to me as Amelia, to keep my little identity a secret, so we would have the element of surprise if we ever encounter one of those cultists again."
So Nirra would have to always call her Amelia when mentioning her.
"Oh and this is Mofu" Nirra said as she kneeled down a bit so the merchant could see the small vulpen sleeping on her bag.
"Ah, I suppose I should reveal my name as well. You can call me Elias, the old merchant." He walked up to his wagon, which contained an assortment of items such as weapons, tools, and handmade objects such as jars, pots, and vases.
"One of you can ride inside here, and one can be beside me while I steer the carriage, but one has to rent a horse to keep up with us. Our goal is to reach Aeris in three days," he explained as the group nodded and huddled to discuss the positions.
"You two can climb inside; I already rented a horse yesterday," Ameria said while she pointed at the horse she rented.
"Alright, it's decided," Ellie said while shrugging.
"We better get going; daylight is burning," Nirra said as she climbed into the wagon beside the old merchant.
"I'm with you, sis." Ellie also climbed on the board on the back as Ameria mounted the horse she rented.
"Are we ready?" Elias looked back to see Ellie with a thumbs up and Amelia, who was riding on the horse.
"Let's go." Elias then pulled the lasso to tell the two horses in front of them to start moving.
The two horses clopped towards the exit as they felt the wagon shake with their movements. Amelia moved in front of them on her own horse to serve as the first line of defense if they ever got attacked.
The group left the city gates in no time and is on the road toward Aeris. Nirra notified a lot of other merchants that were in line to go inside the town as she looked back to see the line of merchants along with the wall get smaller and smaller with distance. Nirra thought of all the memories she enjoyed there as the town she grew up in slowly went farther and farther away. By that time, it was already nearing midday.
"This is your first time traveling?" Nirra heard Elias say as she turned towards him.
"Yeah, I'm leaving the place where I grew up and my parents, who took care of me and Ellie," Nirra replied as she gazed upon the open road that stretched for miles. Currently, the only things she could see were open fields that were occasionally lined with trees and the mountains when she looked to her left.
"I know that feeling. Heading to the great unknown with only you and your wagon as company." Elias had a nostalgic expression on his face as he looked in front of them.
"At least I have Ellie and Mofu to keep me company," Nirra said.
"Yeah, traveling with family is nothing compared to traveling by yourself," Elias explained as the girl beside him nodded in agreement. It was now midday, and the sun was at its peak as they stopped to have a small break.
While resting at the side of the road, Elias questioned the big elephant in the room about Nirra.
"Say, what's that strange tube you carry around with you?" He pointed at said tube when he turned to Nirra.
"Oh, it's my weapon," Nirra explained briefly.
"How does it work?" he questioned.
"I don't want to explain the details, but I can only say it works," Nirra explained, which left the merchant with more questions than answers. He didn't pursue further thought because it would have been rude to do so.
After a few minutes, they set out again to continue on their journey to the city of Aeris. They traveled through large plains and forests before stopping when the sun started to set.
They set up a campsite and started a small fire. After dinner, Amelia volunteered to be the first watch of the night. Nirra, Ellie, and Elias went into their tents to rest for another long day ahead tomorrow. Mofu went to sleep ontop of Nirra with his small body curled up on the girl.
