The sun high up in the sky as Samuel and his party walked along the dirt road leading away from Drelmire. The village had been kind to them, but their time there was over.
Samuel adjusted the strap of his bag and looked around. The path ahead was quiet, lined with trees and tall grass. It was good to be back on the road, but after spending weeks in the village, the silence felt… different.
Jason let out a loud yawn and stretched his arms. "Man, I'm gonna miss that village. The food, the beds, the girls—"
Elaine smacked him on the back of the head before he could finish. "You were supposed to be helping the villagers, not flirting with them."
Jason grinned, rubbing the spot where she hit him. "Hey, I was just being friendly."
Sylvia rolled her eyes. "You were being a pest. That poor girl couldn't even serve food without you trying to 'help' her."
Marianne giggled. "He did carry a lot of heavy stuff, though."
"Yeah, because he thought it would impress them." Elaine shot back.
Jason placed a hand on his chest, pretending to be hurt. "Elaine, you wound me. I'm a gentleman."
Samuel shook his head. "Sure you are."
Jason pointed at him. "Don't act all high and mighty, Samuel. I saw the way the chief's daughter looked at you."
Samuel frowned. "What?"
"She was always bringing you food. Always asking how you were feeling. Don't tell me you didn't notice."
"I didn't."
Jason groaned. "Unbelievable. That's a waste."
Elaine smirked. "Not everyone thinks with their stomach like you."
The group laughed as they walked, the mood lightened up despite the long journey ahead.
After a while, Lyra, who had been quiet, finally spoke. "It was nice… staying in one place for a while."
Elaine nodded. "Yeah. I almost forgot what it felt like to wake up without worrying about monsters or enemies."
Marianne stretched her arms. "I liked it too. I got to cook real meals instead of eating dried meat all the time."
"I still don't know how you make simple food taste so good," Sylvia said. "Even the villagers were impressed."
Marianne smiled. "I just enjoy cooking."
Jason sighed. "Too bad we don't have a kitchen out here."
Elaine nudged him. "You should learn to cook yourself."
Jason gasped. "Blasphemy! I refuse! That's what skilled people like Marianne are for."
Marianne laughed. "And what are you for?"
"Being incredibly handsome and lifting heavy things."
Everyone groaned.
Samuel glanced at Lyra again. She was still walking beside them, but something about her seemed different. Ever since Drelmire, she had been keeping to herself more than usual.
"You okay?" he asked her.
She looked at him and gave a small smile. "Yeah, just thinking."
"About what?"
She hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "Nothing important."
Samuel didn't push. He had learned that Lyra would talk when she wanted to.
As the sun started coming down, they found a good spot near the trees and decided to set up camp.
Sylvia dropped her bag and stretched. "Finally."
Elaine took charge, as usual. "Jason, go gather wood. Marianne and I will start on food. Samuel, you help set up the tents."
Jason groaned. "Why do I always get stuck with the wood?"
"Because you're strong, right?" Elaine teased.
Jason grinned. "Damn right I am." He flexed his arm before heading off to gather wood.
Sylvia shook her head. "He's never going to change."
Marianne chuckled. "That's not a bad thing, though."
Samuel started setting up the tents with Lyra's help. They worked in silence for a while before she spoke again.
"Samuel…"
He glanced at her. "Yeah?"
"Do you ever think about what comes next?"
He frowned. "What do you mean?"
She tied a rope to one of the tent poles. "After Zoria. After everything. What do you want to do?"
Samuel thought about it. For a long time, all he had wanted was to become stronger. But now? He wasn't sure.
"I don't know," he admitted.
Lyra nodded. "Me neither."
Before they could continue, Jason returned with a bundle of firewood. "Alright, fire time."
They started the fire, and soon, Marianne's cooking filled the air with a warm scent.
As they ate, the conversation drifted from stories about Drelmire to memories from the past.
Elaine smiled as she poked at the fire. "It's crazy to think about how far we've come."
"Yeah," Sylvia agreed. "Feels like a lifetime ago."
Jason leaned back, looking up at the stars. "Who would've thought we'd be here, sitting around a fire like this?"
Samuel stared into the flames. Soon, they would be in Zoria. Soon, everything would change.
But for now, in this moment, they were just friends sharing a meal under the night sky.