Chapter 69: Into the Fog
The sun rises lazily over the Green Vale, casting golden rays on the quiet village still basking in the afterglow of salvation. The streets are once again full, not with despair, but with celebration. Villagers gather in front of the inn, crowding around Pip and the rest of the team, their cheers deafening.
"Thank you, Golden One!"
"Don’t forget us, Ka’Lula!"
Pip stands proudly, beeping politely as women hug him, kiss his faceplate, and offer farewell gifts. He returns each gesture with warm pulses of gratitude that rippled like sunshine through the crowd.
Ka’Lula, still human-shaped and wrapped in a new travel cloak stitched together by the town’s grandmothers, finds herself surrounded by teary-eyed villagers. One small boy tugs on her hand, handing her a carved wooden dragon.
"Promise you’ll come back?"
Ka’Lula blinks, then scoops the boy into a hug. "I promise. And next time, I’ll bring more treasure. Maybe even something shiny for you."
A collective aww went through the crowd.
Meanwhile, off to the side, Veena, Vuvi, and Sera kneels beside a large parchment map spread across a barrel.
"We’ll follow the path west, toward the Dwarven Kingdom," Veena points. "It’ll take us near that mountain... where Ka’Lula was hiding out."
Sera taps the map with a gloved finger. "I’m curious about it. She said it was full of treasure. Plus, anything powerful enough to be a dragon’s den might hold secrets."