Chapter 80: The Fourth Echo
The road stretched endlessly ahead, winding through the rugged terrain of the mountain pass as the carriage rumbled along. The sky had darkened slightly, streaked with hints of orange as the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the landscape.
Nico, as usual, held the reins up front, guiding the carriage with the steady ease of someone who had traveled these paths countless times. Velren, on the other hand, had been given a strict order.
"Get your ass in the back and rest, kid."
And so, here he was. Inside the carriage. Crammed between crates filled with weapons, armor, and god-knows-what else.
Velren shifted uncomfortably, one of the wooden boxes digging into his lower back. He let out a quiet groan, adjusting his position only to have the pommel of a sword jab his ribs from another angle.
"Cozy," he muttered dryly, exhaling through his nose.
The space was cramped, cluttered with the very cargo they were supposed to deliver to Caelestoria. Swords wrapped in cloth, reinforced spear shafts, and bundles of arrows were strapped securely to the sides, making every possible sitting position a test of patience.
But Velren didn’t complain.
The exhaustion was finally catching up to him, sinking into his muscles like lead. His body ached from the battle, his wounds—though not severe—still pulsed with dull pain. He needed rest. Any rest.
Leaning back against a stack of crates, he exhaled slowly, and with a thought, a familiar flicker of data shimmered into existence before him.
His Codex.