"Jeez, the next railroad is that far? What's the closest you can take me?" Erenyx asked the caravan driver, exhaling in mild frustration.
"Oh, it's fine, young one," the driver said kindly, his voice rough but warm. "You can hop in the back. I've got space for one more — already taking two other warriors to the same station."
Erenyx reached into her bag and pulled out a small handful of Kril — just enough for a modest meal. "Thank you! Here's something small to show my appreciation."
The driver accepted the offering with a grateful smile.
Erenyx climbed into the back and was met with a few curious eyes — a couple and a silent warrior tucked away in a corner, unnoticed. The man, despite his sharp features and sunken cheeks, had an easy energy about him. He extended a hand.
"Here for the Festival too? Nice to meet you — I'm Heartz."
Erenyx smiled and shook his hand. "Yeah, I am. I'm Erenyx — nice to meet you too."
Heartz leaned back, nudging the woman beside him. "This is my fiancée, Rui. She might not look like it now, but she's way more talkative than I am."
Rui rolled her eyes and gave him a playful slap before sitting up, her long midnight-black hair shining against her warm brown skin. "We're signing up for the Beast Hunt together. You here for the same thing? Or one of the mysterious new fighters for the Tournament?" she teased.
Erenyx chuckled. "Man, I wish. But nah, I'm like you two — here for the Beast Hunt."
Rui grinned. "Well, I wish you luck. If we spot you out there, we might drop down and say hi."
Erenyx smiled, her expression soft and sincere. "I'll hold you to that."
Maybe ten minutes into the ride, the carriage came to a screeching halt.
"Bandits!" the driver shouted from the front.
Heartz's sharp eyes narrowed instantly. He moved before anyone else could react, launching himself through the front of the caravan. His massive buster sword swung with devastating force — the first two bandits were cleaved clean in half, his expression as cold as his blade.
Rui and Erenyx followed right after. Rui leapt into the air, summoning bursts of wind that blasted through the trees, while Erenyx pulled her massive axe from her bag, slamming it into the ground and shattering the earth beneath the charging bandits.
Heartz's assault didn't let up — each swing of his sword was a death sentence. With Rui's aerial strikes and Erenyx's crushing blows covering him, none of the bandits made it past their formation.
By the time the dust settled, Heartz stood atop a mound of corpses, sword driven into the soil as he caught his breath. "Thanks for watching my back, you two," he said, his voice steady despite the exhaustion.
Before either could answer, their eyes went wide.
Heartz turned sharply — someone was behind him. In one motion, he seized the attacker's face. A deafening explosion erupted from his palm, hurling the man backward. When the smoke cleared, the attacker's face was scorched beyond recognition, his body limp and unconscious.
"Woah... what was that?" Erenyx asked, eyes wide.
"Just a trick I picked up," Heartz replied coolly, dusting off his hand before retrieving his sword.
The three made their way back to the caravan. The driver fell to his knees, bowing his head and stammering apologies, even returning the Kril they'd paid earlier as thanks for saving his life.
They climbed back into the carriage — but none of them noticed that the quiet stranger who had ridden with them was no longer there.
Erenyx's eyes widened with awe as they landed on the massive construct before her.
"Never seen a magitek train system before, kid?" Heartz asked, laughing at the way she stood frozen in place.
"Never..." she breathed.
Magitek was a fairly new discovery — a force that blew every other energy source out of the water. Nations all across the world raced to harness it, but none had mastered it like the Land of Waves. Entire cities ran on it now; electricity had become a relic of the past.
Here, even a warrior's own chi could power the infrastructure around them. The stronger the fighters, the brighter their cities burned.
Erenyx stepped onto the train. The moment it moved, her breath caught in her throat. Mountains and clouds became streaks of color. The speed was unreal — turns and drops felt weightless, like gliding through a dream.
When the train finally slowed, the world outside the window transformed once again.
Arystel.
Erenyx stepped onto the platform and stood still, her eyes reflecting the city's glow. Towering glass buildings scraped the sky, cars hummed through the streets, and floating vendors drifted between crowds. Every surface shimmered with soft blue light.
The city was alive — radiant, humming, and impossibly beautiful.