Chapter 83: Leaving the Enclave
CH83 Leaving the Enclave
***
A soft, refreshing breeze brushed past Alex’s face as they rode down the paved road leading out of the DragonHold Enclave in the DragonSpine Mountain range.
This path would soon feed into one of the Empire’s great arterial highways—a massive, four-carriage-wide roads that stretched the length and breadth of the Empire. On a map, they looked less like roads and more like blood vessels coursing through a living body.
Their route would take them north along this ’Silk Road’-like highway, through numerous trade routes and territories, until they reached the Fury Family domain—specifically, Earl Drake Fury’s dominion.
Just before they merged onto the imperial main road, Alex gave Fen a soft pat, prompting the wolf to halt.
He turned in his seat to gaze back at the distant silhouette of the DragonSpine mountains. The towering spire of the DragonHold Enclave Mage Tower, along with its sprawling city, had mostly disappeared beyond the horizon. Only the very tip of the tower remained visible—defiantly piercing the sky like a spear.
A wave of emotion swept over him.
This was the only place he had truly called home since arriving in this new world. It had been his sanctuary, his forge, and his launching ground. Nostalgia and melancholy flickered across his youthful face as he remembered everything he was leaving behind—his memories, his purpose, his promises... and the responsibilities still awaiting his return.
"We don’t have the time to wait around, Master Alex," Jared’s gruff voice interrupted from ahead. "We’ve a lot of ground to cover if we’re to reach Ashen Castle on schedule."
Sighing inwardly, Alex pushed his thoughts aside. He didn’t need to give Fen any command. The wolf began trotting forward on its own, steadily catching up with Jared’s monstrous black steed.