Chapter 22: Princess
Ethan advanced along a trail that seemed almost forgotten, carved between twisted cliffs and moss-covered rocks. He had already left Eldranor behind, without ceremonies or long goodbyes.
He believed that Aeris and Sylfie were more than capable of taking care of that kingdom without him. Guardian was also there, should they need help with the golems or the barrier.
The sky above remained overcast, filtering the sunlight into something cold. It was strange, he thought, how even in that calm, everything still felt worrying. He walked without hurry, guided only by the maps he had studied with Aeris.
Despite the distance, Eldranor didn’t feel far from him. No matter how far he got from the kingdom, he could still feel it within his mind, or his soul. But that didn’t distract him. The road ahead demanded focus.
Silence was broken only by crows perched on tall stones, watching him without fear. Aeris had warned him about rumors that few returned from that path, but Ethan didn’t seem to care. He believed it was the quickest way without a carriage.
At the top of a small plateau, he stopped, staring at the horizon. Ahead lay the kingdom he sought, a land practically unknown, Argenne, sometimes even ignored by some maps, but important enough to change the course of a war that hadn’t even begun yet. He knew the king there was struggling to hold together fragile alliances, while groups of nobles plotted against him. A silent dispute, ready to explode with the hero’s arrival.
The nobles would use the affection the princess of that kingdom had for the hero to convince her to betray her own father. And that foolish girl would accept without even thinking twice.
He took a deep breath, adjusted his dark cloak, and moved on.
The daylight began to change, gaining distant golden tones when Ethan reached a shallow gorge, a natural border between the ravine and the lands of the neighboring kingdom. He looked around: no guards, no caravans, only stone, dust, and wind.
There, he paused for a moment, evaluating the path. There was still a bit to go; he couldn’t afford to waste time.
Without waiting any longer, he continued. Each step brought him closer to the place where, if he arrived too late, it wouldn’t be only his kingdom caught in the middle of that war.