She flipped to the next page, her heart racing, hoping this time to unveil something tangible rather than emptiness. As the page turned, ink began to etch itself into the paper, forming cryptic symbols that danced before her eyes. Each stroke ignited her determination, a silent pact forming among them.
"Look!" she exclaimed, pointing eagerly.
"It's beginning to reveal itself!" Aeron leaned in, scanning the swirling letters.
"What do you think it means?" Violet traced a finger over the symbols, a thoughtful look on her face.
"It's a map. Maybe it shows where we should go or what we need to find." Starfania's pulse quickened. They were stepping into a story much larger than themselves, and she felt the weight of their impending journey. "We have to follow it. Whatever is out there, we must face it together."
The road ahead stretched endlessly, a winding path flanked by towering trees and golden fields swaying in the breeze. Their journey had been long, and though they had followed the map with unwavering determination, the landscape ahead presented them with an unexpected dilemma–a crossroads. They came to a halt, their eyes darting between the diverging paths, uncertainty creeping into their thoughts. Not far in the distance, nestled against a hillside, lay a small village. The prospect of gathering more supplies for the road was tempting, especially since none of them knew how much farther they would have to travel to reach Lyam.
" We should stop here," Starfania said, adjusting the strap of her satchel. " It'll be better to stock up now rather than regret it later. "
Aeron nodded in agreement. " And maybe someone here has heard rumors about the Primara leader. Any information would be useful."
As they made their way into the village, the atmosphere was bustling but peaceful–merchants haggled with customers over fresh produce, blacksmiths pounding steel, and children ran through the streets laughing. The warmth of the town was welcoming, but something about it felt… off. Starfania couldn't quite put her finger on it. They strolled through the marketplace, scanning for anything useful when Violet tugged at Starfania sleeves. She turned to her, finding an odd gleam in her eyes. " Vi? What is it? "
" Wasn't Lyam the man who caused trouble to your father? " she said cryptically. Her voice was just above a whisper. Starfania eyes widen as if piecing the puzzle together. She remembered when they were talking about ruling when one guard mentioned that Lyam had destroyed two of their bases. Causing her father to grow furious for ruining his plan repeatedly.
"Yeah, he was," Starfania replied, her voice low, trying not to attract attention. Memories of her father's anger flooded back — the way he slammed his fist on the table, the rage in his voice as he spoke about Lyam's provocations.
She glanced around, suddenly feeling the weight of the village closing in on her. Violet twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers, glancing around before leaning in.
" I've been hearing whispers about a young man stirring trouble for VulcanFire. They say he wears some kind of scaled armor, almost like a lizard, blending into the environment. " She paused, her expression turning serious. " And apparently, his nation is known as Primara. "
Starfania exchanges glances with Aeron, the weight of her word sinking in.
"What do you think he plans to do?" Aeron asked, eyebrows furrowing in concern. Violet shrugged, her fingers still twisting her hair. "I'm not sure, but the tales describe him as cunning. He could be trying to stop your father Starfania from destroying the dragons."
Starfania bit her lip, considering their options. "That could be true. Cantina did want us to help him with something. Considering she wants us to find him. "