Before sunrise, outside the city gates, the world had sunk into a heavy silence. A thin fog rested on the ground, blurring and trembling the lines of the dirt road. The guard towers on either side of the gate rose like dark, silent shadows, their half-burned torches casting a faint yellow light that seemed weak and flickering against the darkness of the night.
A cool breeze blew from the plains, carrying with it the smell of damp earth and dew-covered grass. In the distance, the occasional howl of stray dogs or the sudden flight of crows would break the heavy stillness of the air. Behind the mountains, a thin strip of sky had lightened to a pale gray, a silent sign of the approaching morning.
A small caravan that had spent the night outside the walls was preparing to leave in silence. The horses, restless, stamped their hooves on the ground, their breaths rising in the cold air like white vapor. The weary guards, their half-shiny armor clinking softly, walked slowly along the wall, their eyes fixed on the horizon, as if waiting for something unknown.
Vantias, Anna, William, and Dagrul stood outside the city gate, taking time for their farewells.
William wore a gray cloak and held a wooden magic staff in his hands. Vantias and Dagrul still carried the exhaustion of the previous night on their faces. Vantias struggled to keep himself awake, constantly shaking himself to stay alert.
Anna, dressed in white with black boots, looked at the city gate with a worried expression on her face.
William spoke in a calm tone:
"I'm sure she'll come..."
Anna felt a sense of unease in her heart and asked anxiously:
"What if she doesn't come?"
Dagrul chuckled softly and said:
"Don't worry, she's strong... besides, she's lived longer than all of us... she'll pull herself together." His tone was calm, trying to encourage them.
Vantias squinted and saw a woman in a brown hooded cloak walking slowly toward the gate.
She had a crossbow slung over her back and a large satchel strapped to her.
Vantias' face brightened as he recognized her and exclaimed:
"There she is! She's coming this way!"
Everyone quickly looked at the figure with joy.
"I knew she'd come, I told you not to worry." Dagrul said.
"Thank the gods, I was starting to think she wasn't going to show up." Anna said, relieved.
After a few minutes of walking, Sylphy joined the group with a smile on her face as she saw her friends.
"I made it! Were you waiting long?"Sylphy said.
William closed his eyes and said calmly:
"No, you arrived right on time." He gave a small smile.
After a few minutes of conversation, the time came for their final farewell. William spoke one last time:
"My friends and comrades, in all the years I've been with you, whenever I felt danger, whenever I felt despair, I never fell... because I had you. And now, perhaps our paths will diverge, but our hearts and spirits will never be apart."He said with a heroic tone.
Sylphy added:
"I feel the same. Honestly, being with all of you has made me stronger. Thank you for everything."She smiled and slightly bowed her head.
Vantias started hugging William and Sylphy, and everyone began to say their goodbyes to them.
After a few minutes, William and Sylphy began walking towards the village of Rizilt, while Vantias and Anna waved, wishing them health and safety.
Vantias, watching William and Sylphy grow distant, glanced sideways at Dagrul and said:
"The Majestil sword... I had a dream about a Majestil sword last night..." he said jokingly.
Dagrul broke into a sweat and looked at Vantias in shock.
Vantias gazed at the clouds and continued:
"Ah... it's so beautiful... even the clouds look like a Majestil sword..." He glanced sideways at Dagrul.
Dagrul, struggling, held up five fingers and said:
"Give it five days..."
Vantias shook his head, indicating "no" and Dagrul sweated more as the number dropped from five to three. Finally, Vantias smiled and shook Dagrul's hand, saying:
"Working with you is always a pleasure."He said with a joyful smile.
Dagrul thought:
"Ah... I made a bet with a devil."
Vantias, Anna, and Dagrul walked toward the city as William and Sylphy became no longer visible, far enough away.
Anna still looked worried, and her face showed it. Vantias noticed her expression and said:
"Don't worry, they'll send us letters, and sometimes we can even visit them. Just because they're a little farther from us now, doesn't mean we'll never see them again."
"Vantias is right." Dagrul said.
Anna placed her hand on her chest as she walked and said:
"I know... but... it's hard when the people you've gotten used to start leaving you."
Vantias fell silent because he understood Anna's feelings perfectly. Then he thought:
"This is the true nature of the world. In your life, you meet many people. Some of them bring painful experiences, while others fill your memories with joy. Somewhere in your heart, like a star, they shine... and when they leave, that star grows farther and farther away, but it still shines... maybe not as close as before, but with the memories stored in your heart, you'll never forget them."
A few minutes after sunrise, the capital slowly began to come to life in the soft gray and golden light of the morning. The sunlight broke through the narrow, tall towers with sharp tips, scattering light across the stained-glass windows of the churches and central halls. The long, heavy shadows of Gothic walls filled the narrow cobblestone streets, casting an air of mysterious grandeur.
The buildings were made of dark stone, with tall arches, pointed windows, and intricate carvings. Along the main square, a fountain with a stone angel figure, its wings spread to the sky, quietly sent droplets of water into the air. The sound of birds echoed through the towers and high rooftops, while the church bells softly announced the start of the day.
The people of the city appeared slowly in the streets: street vendors opening their small wooden stalls, carriages passing through the narrow streets, and pedestrians tired from the night before. In the morning air, the smell of freshly baked bread mixed with the smoke from chimneys and the moisture of the stone streets.